Spontaneous Combustion
by awal2069
Summary: After the games, after the revolution, there was District 14.  A District built out of necessity, but filled with the tangled lives and loves of our favorite characters, but with a few twists.  They have started this district out of neccessity, not want.
1. Chapter 1

Gale's POV:

The shaft of warm sunlight resting on my shoulders is heavenly. It makes me feel like I've been cold for so long and am just now finding warmth…where did this come from? How did I get here? Where am I?

Slowly, ever so slowly I begin to turn around. It's beautiful. So lush, green, even the humidity is a welcome respite. And then, like a light switch clicking, I realize where I am. My meadow. Our meadow. The meadow Katniss and I shared in District 12. It's been so long, but it's exactly the same.

A bird begins to sing a hauntingly familiar tune. "Are you, are you, coming to the tree"…. Katniss sang that song during the Hunger Games. I breathe in deep and realize the air is clean. Pure. How refreshing to not need the oxygen tank. I wonder if we can come back here – start a new District 12.

I wonder how far from the lake I am? I begin to walk in the direction I think it is. And I'm right. It wasn't as far as I remember, but there it is – beautiful, shining, crystal clear water. Is it still cool? I walk to the edge of the bank, lean down to dip my hands in the water, and

Splash. Splutter. "What?" I wake up soaking wet. Finnick is laughing at me. "Jerk. What's up with that?"

"Sounds like you were having a pretty good time there, man. I thought you needed a little cooling off!"

"Whatever – leave me alone!" It's not my favorite way to wake up, although it's not the first time he's done it. Apparently I'm a hard sleeper, and even harder to wake up. I shake my head to get rid of the tiny rivers of water running down my face.

Finnick leaves, laughing like someone's just told him the funniest joke ever. "See you at breakfast. Don't be late – again."

Life is so different now, here in District 14. It's like a little bit of each district, including the Capitol, all tied up in one. After the rebels won the victory over the Capitol and the Hunger Games became a story told in History class, President Paylor called a meeting of all those who had been vital to the cause. We had a new crisis, one Snow couldn't have dreamed of. Oxygen. Or should I say the lack thereof. Just a little something everyone takes for granted. Evidently all the radiation released during the rebellion affected this little commodity and the supply was shrinking fast. She asked us to combine our talents to find a way to manufacture this vital product. Thus – District 14 was born. We have created this new District for the sole purpose of manufacturing and supplying every district with a constant supply of Oxygen.

Sighing in frustration, I throw the covers off and decide I might as well get up – I sure can't go back to sleep now, no matter how much I wish I could.

You would too, if you were me. My life sucks right now. S.U.C.K.S. Big time. I'm tired of being alone. Lonely – very lonely. I'm sick and tired of watching Peeta and Katniss constantly touch each other as if they can't get enough. Gag. And if you think that's bad, just watch Finnick and Annie. Makes Peeta and Katniss look rated G.

Jealous? So what! It's been soooo long since I've let myself get close to a woman. I'm not talking about close as in sitting next to…I mean close, like under my skin, in my heart, between my…never mind. I tend to keep them distant. I haven't been ready. 'Til now. Now, I'm tired of waiting. Every face is a new possibility. But I want it all. She doesn't have to be a raving beauty. I don't want someone I'll have to fight over all the time. But I would appreciate a pretty face. Eyes that run from blue to green, depending on her mood. And I want to be in control of those moods – every one of them! Long honey colored hair I can run my hands through again and again. A smile that makes my heart stop beating. A voice that makes me shiver. Lips – oh god, lips. Full, luscious, soft lips. For me. Only. A body that my hands will take their time getting to know, intimately. And legs – long legs – legs that can wrap around my waist while I…never mind. Yeah, I want it all. No less than that. But women are almost as scarce of a commodity as Oxygen.

So until I find her – life is getting more and more difficult. Hard. You can't even imagine. But I can. And now – now I'm going to take a cold shower so that the part of me that woke up hard will go back to sleep and the parts of me that haven't woke up will.


	2. Haymitch

Haymitch POV... or Haymitchieness (thanks Howlynn):

Great.

Hardly any booze left, and now this. I fought for my life HOW many times, saved countless others and this is the THANKS I get? Now I have to fight for air too?

I just need a drink, and now. Actually, yesterday. Oh yeah, and something a little more important – Air.

Not to mention I have to see how freaking happy Peeta is, walking around like he hung the moon himself. Or manufactured air for an eternity. Seriously, could he wipe that smile off of his face anytime today?

He and Katniss are like magnets, where one goes the other one follows. It is quite sickening to watch. Actually I think I might have thrown up a few times after watching them. That or it was from the wonderful wine I had consumed before said encounters. I am going to go with the two lovebirds though.

Then there is Finnick.

Why did he have to be blessed with the looks and the personality to go with it? Oh well, I am probably hung better than him anyways. At least that is what I will tell myself. Yep, like a horse.

And Gale, I am not even going there with that boy.

.All.

I open my one good eye since the other one hasn't quite gotten used to the light yet, and see Katniss out of the corner of my eye. "Wake up Old Man" she says with that little smirk on her face. I swear I wonder sometimes why I didn't leave her in the games to fend for herself.

"Did you drink again last night, or is that just your wonderful morning breathe all on its own?"

"Excuse me, Katniss, your highness, not everyone wakes up smelling like fresh flowers and freaking sunshine first thing in the morning"

And then I see Mr. I Can't Stop Smiling All the DAMN Time standing right beside her. Of course. Do I ever get one minute in this Godforsaken place by myself?

Granted, this place has grown on me, or me on it. We have about figured out this oxygen business. With the help on the nerd herds, Beetee in particular, we have planted more trees here than in any other district. They are hybrids that soak up the CO2 that is released by us humans, and in turn they actually release double the amount of oxygen than a regular tree would, hence making our district one of the most important. Plus we are under a huge geodesic dome (conservatory type) that keeps as much air in, and pumps any bad air out.

Of course, I oversaw it all. Supervisor, per say. And of course it ran brilliantly.

Ok, now where was I, and what was I about to do?

Oh yeah, I need a drink. Now.


	3. Mr Finnick Hotness

Finnick's POV:

I'm still laughing as I walk towards the kitchen. The look on his face – if only you could have seen it! If only it were on camera! It's so freaking easy to make Gale mad. But mad AND wet? Priceless! I guess not everyone likes water as much as I do. Good thing he's fairly easy going and shakes things off. Maybe I should take it easy on Gale. He doesn't get any relaxation – rest is all he's got going for him. Poor bastard. Nah. I just can't find it in my nature to be nice for no good reason.

Breakfast should be good today – the menu shows Grapefruit and Hazelnut Baked Trout, fresh fruit and Hawaiian Silk Smoothies. One of my favorites – hands down. The kitchen is in a central location for all flats in our pod. We have our own chef and he's the best. 5 star all the way. It just doesn't get much better than this, well, except for last night with Annie – but that's a whole other kind of delectable. Mmmm…just thinking about last night makes my heart beat faster and my steps falter. Not to mention my dick gets harder than my trident and I wonder which one would be more deadly. Hmm, very good question.

Get a grip, man. No, no – not that grip! Work to do. Annie will be there for more rest and relaxation – well maybe not so much rest but definitely relaxation – stimulating relaxation. I left her tucked in warm and cozy and utterly exhausted this morning. She'll be the one resting up for round 2 tonight, and after last nights sexcapades and the quick replay this morning she should be... This is NOT working! Where am I going? Oh, yeah – breakfast. Concentrate! Breakfast. Food. Smoothies…smooth skin, curves – Crap! FOCUS!

I have a very busy day today. I imagine not very many people enjoy their work as much as I do. If it wasn't for Annie, I'd work all day every day. I have on another one of my many "uniforms" which consists solely of a Speedo. Period. I have one in every color imaginable. Nothing else is required! Not even a name tag. I mean, how many other blonde demi-gods do you think are out there? Right. None. Just me. And to my knowledge, no one has had to ask what my name was twice. Victor of the 65th Hunger Games. Champion of the rebellion over the Capitol. Body and looks of a sex god. No one can wield a spear or trident as well as I can. No one can tie knots better than I. No one can write poems that make 100's of women faint all at one time. Just me. Finnick. 'Nuff said.

I work in the Gulf of Eden. It's perfect. Like it was made just for me. I could stay there forever and not see it all. The plants, the fish, and the coral – everything you've ever dreamed of, it's there. Crystal clear waters that are part salt water and part pure water – unbelievable, I know. Part of it feels like cool spring waters and other parts are as warm as sunlight on the beach. And that's just what you could find under the water. Above the water is exactly like its namesake – the Garden of Eden. Rich, lush, green, floral & fruitful. Abundant with wild life and fruits & plants even I've never heard of. So you can see why going to work is not a problem for me. If only Annie could come with me! But she is my Garden of Eden that I get to go home to, so no worries there.

Maybe I should explain a little bit about how things work here at District 14. You already know that we created this district to meet the demands of our increasingly short supply of Oxygen. The difference between this district and all the others is that everyone who comes here does so on a volunteer basis – no one is forced to be here. You are free to leave at any time, as long as you give notice. So, we have families from every district all mingled together. A melting pot of cultures, if you will. It makes living here very enjoyable and entertaining. Plus they all get to look at me – total added bonus right there!

Annie and I live in a Pod between the Gulf of Eden and the Center for Aerial, Armored & Cyber Defense. Gale lives in the same pod, a few doors down from us. He works at the CAACD. I have a key to his flat, which is how I managed to wake him up this morning. Which brings me back to the task at hand. Breakfast.

I hope Gale makes it in time. It's hard to concentrate on an empty stomach, especially when you have to walk to work since you missed your shuttle. So, see – I was being nice. Bastard is lucky to have such an awesome friend like me anyways.


	4. Chapter 4

Gale POV:

I made it to breakfast but had to eat like a bat out of hell to make the shuttle on time. Good thing I don't have to cook for myself. I'd starve to death. Every meal in District 14 is a unique experience. With so many different cultures in our pod, our chef has to bring a wide variety of dishes to the table to please many palates. Foods I've never heard of I now eat without question. I am used to wild game, hearty soups and wholesome breads. Now I eat bobotie, fajitas, moussaka, risotto, sushi and soya. You look 'em up. I do well enough just to remember the names of the food, much less what's in them. I've even stopped reading the weekly menu. What's the point? It seems to be written in languages long forgotten and I don't have the patience to learn them now. Just put my plate in front of me and I'll do my best to eat what's on it.

The shuttle ride was uneventful, as usual. It's a quick 15 minute ride that I usually spend mentally preparing myself for the day ahead. Today I'm having difficulty concentrating. The shower did little to ease my frustrations and I had to take matters into my own hands, literally. It wasn't enough. God, I know she's out there somewhere. The one you created just perfectly for me. Help me find her and find her soon before I go mad. Completely and unconditionally, sexually frustrating, stark raving MAD!

I check PIIA and see a new message has arrived. PIIA stands for Primary Integral Intelligence Apparatus. A mouthful, huh? Basically it takes the place of all forms of communication and information – phones, internet, video, etc… and is built into our clothing. It provides free wireless audio and video of any sort anywhere we go. Video is emitted as holographic images and can be viewed anywhere. Likewise, the audio can transmit into brain waves we can communicate with. No hardware or software required. This system was created by some geniuses hired by President Paylor to ease the cost of communication and information for each district. It also allows the Capitol to monitor the population, a constant census if you will. With the birth of District 14, it also enables us to know who is in what district and which district needs how much oxygen. An added benefit is that it provides us with immediate data on how, what for and where the oxygen is being used.

PIIA tells me that the message is from BeeTee – there's to be a meeting at 8:15am. It appears we have 3 new employees and he wants to introduce them to everyone. Sigh. I hate meetings. Hopefully it'll be a short one and I can get back to doing what I do best – creating weapons of all sorts, improving weapons that have already been created, and tactical training in the use of all of these weapons. Love it! Hopefully we'll never have to use them, but if we do – I pity the rebel who comes against us!

The shuttle comes to a stop and I stand up and gather my wits about me. I hope the rest of today is not a repeat of this morning. It's gotta get better than this.


	5. Holy Hotness

Finnick's POV:

"Hi-ho, hi-ho, it's off to work I go"…how in the world did that tune get stuck in my mind? I've been alternating between whistling and humming it since I entered the shuttle. I can feel the glares radiating off of the people within hearing range and quickly decide to find something else to occupy my mind.

Glancing around I find it odd that there seems to be a lot more women riding this shuttle than usual. I wonder what's up with that? I hardly notice any men sitting in my section of the shuttle. Weird. I shift uncomfortably in my seat tugging on the hem of my knee length shorts. What? You thought I wore my Speedo to work? Hell, no! I am completely aware of the effect this body has on women and I DO NOT like being fondled "accidentally" by thousands of horny, repressed women! I keep this package appropriately covered until I'm in the security of my office or my flat. Sheesh, people.

I rest my head back against the headrest and close my eyes, trying to block out the noise around me. I let my mind drift to my favorite subject, Annie. She's the other half of my whole. The missing puzzle in my life. The melody in my song. The current to my ocean. It was destiny that we are together. She completes me.

She is the mortal embodiment of all things perfect in my life. Inside and out. She has the biggest heart, pure gold. She maintains a quiet, restful spirit that soothes me. She is overflowing with love, joy and a determination to make my life happy and content. It makes me reluctant to leave her in the morning and anxious to run back to her every evening.

If you asked me what my favorite thing about Annie was I'd have to say it's her eyes. Large, expressive, cerulean blue eyes framed by long, thick black lashes. I find myself staring into those eyes for long periods of time, unable to think or to bring coherent thoughts together. Her lips are heart shaped and just the right size – not too thick or too thin. Just plump enough to suck in between my teeth. Mmmm…. Her wheat colored hair hangs thick and straight down to her shoulder blades. Its silky soft and glossy and I love to tangle my hands up in it. Her skin is perfection itself – the color of coffee with a little too much creamer in it. She is petite, standing only about 5' 2" and tucks perfectly into my body each night.

Her breasts – mmmm, her breasts. They are full enough to perfectly fill my hands as I caress them, and no more. Her tiny waist is easily encompassed by my splayed hands and delicately slopes down to perfectly rounded hips that dip down to paradise. She has a tone, but full, derriere that I love to grip while I make love to her. Her legs are thin, but shapely and slope down to perfectly tiny feet that love to rest in the small of my back as I nestle against her center. Yes, my Annie is perfection personified. And – she's all mine. 100%. And I am completely devoted to her – I worship her. I never can get enough of her.

Naturally, my thoughts meander back to the mind blowing sex we had last night. My pure, raw, combustible need relieved only by her ministrations and mewels. She is supple and limber, the perfect lover. Every whisper, each moan, sigh, whisper settles low in my belly and fuels the flames that threaten to consume me. Last night was no exception.

I came home from work to find her waiting for me in the kitchenette. She had set out a cold beer and a small candy bowl of sugar cubes. I freaking love sugar cubes – an old habit from my Hunger Games days I can't seem to find the will to break. She sat across the small table from me and quietly asked me about my adventures at work. Every day at work is an adventure. When I finished my beer, she took my hand and guided me to the shower. She pressed a few buttons, programming the perfect waterfall and temperature for me. She turned back to me and slowly undressed me, allowing her hands to run across my chest, down my hips and slowly cupped my ass as she tip-toed up to softly kiss me. My reaction was very evident – hard and straight forward, if I do say so myself. Damn! That woman knows how to rock my world.

I wrapped my hands around her waist and attempted to press my erection against her hip. Stepping back and smiling up at me, she wagged a perfectly manicured finger in front of me. "No, no, no! You are taking a shower first and that's final!" She reached down and swiftly untied the sash on her satin robe, allowing it to fall like water off of her shoulders and pool around her feet. Fuck. Me. Now! She was utterly & completely naked underneath all that satin. I groaned deeply while my dick twitched in anticipation of what was quickly promising to be a very delightful shower. "Damn, woman! You'll be the death of me, yet!"

Laughing gently, she pushed me into the warm, steamy shower. She had programmed a light, warm summer rainfall and the gentle patter of the rain on the tile was soothing and erotic. She took a sponge and lathered it with a soft, woodsy scented soap and set about ridding my body of every particle of grime. She left no spot untouched – from the top of my head all the way down to my toes, gently massaging and exfoliating and setting my skin on fire. My body was rock hard when she was done with me. Fucking marble!

Unable to bear her ministrations any longer, I felt it was only fair to return the favor, which I was more than happy to do. I tried to be very thorough, more than thorough in a few choice places if her moans were any indication. When the last bubble of soap was rinsed from our bodies, I placed my hands on that favorite ass of mine and scooped her into my arms. She wrapped her lovely legs around my waist and I stepped under the drier. Once we were both completely dry, tangle free and toasty, I whispered in her ear that I needed a little snack to tide me over until dinner. Looking innocently into my eyes, she asked me what I had in mind.

I walked her over to our bed and gently deposited her on the edge. She made a move to scoot back, but I grabbed her hips and stilled her. Leaning over her, I stared into those deep blue eyes until I thought I would drown and realized that I stopped breathing. Slowly I lowered my lips to hers intending to kiss her ever so softly, gently nipping and sucking at them. Once the honey and almond taste of her was on my tongue I lost all perspective. I heard a loud rumble erupt and realized it must have come from me. I crushed my lips down over hers, swiped my tongue across her to gain entrance, which she willingly opened, and began to suck her tongue as though it were a lollipop and I were a sugar starved child.

I pulled back to catch my breath and her heaving chest caught my eye. I laid her back on the bed and leaned down to capture a soft pink nipple in my mouth. I lathed it with my tongue and sucked it deeply into my mouth, feeling it rise and pearl up under my ministrations. Then I performed the same act upon her other breast. She moaned deeply and arched her breast into my mouth as I gently sucked and licked them thoroughly. "Mmmm, ooohhhh. Finnick, oh god, Finnick. That feels soooo gooood, baby…. MMMmhhhhhh…."

Unbelievably, my shaft stiffened even more. Can you get stiffer than Marble?

I trailed kisses down her stomach, dipping into her tiny belly button and sucking on it, eliciting another delicious moan from the owner of said belly button. Leisurely I made my way to the center of my universe, her beautiful, very wet, swollen sex. Grabbing her ankles, I placed a foot on each side of her and glided my hands up the soft skin of her thighs, holding them in place. I kneeled at the foot of the bed and lightly breathed across her glistening folds, listening to her quick intake of breath. I inhaled that sweet, musky scent that is all Annie. I growled softly – that scent is tailor made for me and I can never get enough of it. My mouth began to salivate. I leaned in and took a taste of her sweet honey. I placed my tongue full and flat against her entrance and slowly licked up until I crossed over her engorged bud. Using the tip of my tongue, I made my way back down, dipping into her honey pot for the delicious treasures within. "Oh, god, Finnick. Don't stop. Oh, don't…"

Well, what would you have done? What could I do? I had to obey – her wish is my command. I repeated this until her hips were bucking against my face which was firmly fastened in place by the two hands fisted into my hair. Feeling her body become tense, I heard her whimper. "Finn, I'm going…FINN. Unnnhhh, oh, baby – Finn. I'm…cum…" "Cum for me, Annie. Now, baby." I breathed back to her, flicking my tongue across her clit and shoving 2 fingers deep into her essence as she screamed out my name and shattered into tiny pieces.

As she lay trying to catch her breath, I stood and removed my fingers from her pulsing core. I reached between my own legs to my throbbing member and gently stroked him, coating him with her juices. I bent down and wrapped my arms around her, kissing her deeply to show her how sweet she tasted to me. I could feel her sighs deep down in her chest as her hands found their way back into my hair, locking me tightly against her lips. Kneeling over her at the edge of the bed, I gently tugged her to the center of the bed, but before I could nestle myself between her legs, her hands found my throbbing cock and proceeded to firmly stroke me.

My hips bucked against her hand – I swear they have a mind of their own – causing her to smile. "Lay down, Finn. It's my turn to pleasure you." Again – her wish is my command. She knelt at my side, grabbing my very neglected member tightly in her hand and stroked slowly from base to tip several times, flicking her thumb over the dew covered slit with each pass. Her other hand cupped my sac and gently kneaded and rolled it between those perfectly manicured fingers. She leaned over my shaft and licked the dew off the tip, mouth fucking my head until I thought it would cry. Her lips opened further to deepen her intent and sucked me into her mouth, moaning and humming until I felt the back of her throat against me. Up and down, up and down, over and over and over again. When I thought I was going to literally cum apart, I grabbed her arms and pulled her up to kiss her, flipping her over and in one swift thrust, I sheathed myself to the hilt in her swollen cunt. I froze, not even daring to breath. "Don't move, Annie. I'm not ready for this to be over yet and if you move I won't be able to stop."

Leaning my forehead against hers, breathing deeply, I frantically struggled to regain some semblance of control over my raging dick. I kissed her deeply trying desperately to focus on another part of our bodies. Finally I was able to calm down and knew I'd be able to go on. I pulled out until only my tip remained within and slowly thrusted in and out. Oh, sweet mother fucker. She was so fucking tight. Hot. Wet, Soft. My own personal heaven in my very own Garden of Eden.

Annie whimpered and reached her hands down to grab my ass, shifting and granting me deeper access, rising to meet each thrust. This angle was spectacular. I could feel every inch of me being gripped by her hot core. I settled into a steady rhythm, allowing our bodies to sync together.

"Look at me, baby," I whispered in her ear. She opened her eyes and gazed at me through a lust filled haze. My heart stopped beating. I did that to her. I fucking did that to her! You have no idea the power that came to me with that realization. It's what I live for – to be able to give this to her, this release, this pleasure, my love. Looking back into those deep pools of blue I whispered, "I love you, Annie Odair."

"I love you, too, my Finnick. With all of my heart until it stops beating, I love you." I had to give her more. "Cum with me, love. Let me look into your eyes while you cum for me." Her breath caught as her hands, which had been running up and down from my shoulders to my hips, dug deep into my ass and her hips arched off the bed. Her legs spread wide on each side of me as she tried to consume me. I couldn't believe how deep she was. I felt the throbbing at the base of my shaft, the hot molten lava that began to boil deep down inside, warning me of the eminent orgasm rising up within me.

"Cum now, Annie. I need to see you cum for me." I watched her face intently as she threw her head back and screamed my name as she came, clamping down on my cock as her sweet honey began to flow down over my sac and between my legs. I couldn't hold back any longer. I was completely undone as this – the most fucking beautiful and sexy woman – came over me. Thrusting as hard and fast as I could, I climaxed, arching into her, jerking back and forth until every last drop of my seed had spilled deep within her. Exhausted and struggling for breath, we collapsed. I gasped as she rode out the last tendrils of her orgasm, grinding against my over-stimulated cock. I kissed and nuzzled along the side of her neck from the soft spot under her ear to her collar bone as she slid her hands up and down my back and over my ass, until we both fell asleep, fully sated, exhausted and with me still tucked securely deep within her.

I felt a lurch and opened my eyes. Looking around I realized that it was extremely quiet and every eye on the shuttle was focused on me. I smirked, realizing that was probably the most erotic wet dream any of them will ever get to witness. Shit. I'm going to have to find another shuttle. Yeah, I'll look into that just as soon as I find a way to keep my hard on from tenting out my shorts!


	6. Good Morning!

Annie POV:

I am utterly and completely exhausted this morning. Finnick left me more than sated. He always does.

That man can do things no other man can. I have never been with another, but there is no way, at all, another man can undo me like he does.

One look in those gorgeous aqua green eyes of his, and I am lost. Altogether completely his, lost in him for forever.

He is the one person that can bring me back from the horrible awful place my mind wanders to sometimes, with just one whisper, brush of the hand, or a look. He brings me back to him. Back to safety and home.

He is my one and only true love. Lover. Friend. Forever.

He left me this morning with the sweetest kiss. Of course after the raw and utterly mind blowing sex we had last night and again this morning, a sweet kiss was the perfect way to say goodbye for the day. But the sex this morning is still fresh on my mind, and I will replay it as much as possible throughout the day. What woman wouldn't?

Finicky oozes sex, but when he is with me it is more than that. He is always making sure I am ok, happy, taken care of, or in this case completely undone. I have always wondered what it is the he sees in me, but he always tells me with his kisses, or his love like his words never could. I know without a doubt he is mine and I am his. It is the most glorious feeling in the world.

This morning he starts out so sweet and innocent, and then ends up claiming me as his own.

The way his tongue gently moves over my bottom lip, then slightly sucks it in and claims it as his own makes my toes curl immediately. The ferocity that follows would make any woman envious. Heck, it makes me almost jealous of myself sometimes.

He licks those luscious lips and then smiles that smile that only I know means he loves me and wants me at the same time. It is filled with greedy lust and love together.

It makes me moist instantly, just like every other action that follows.

"Come here beautiful" he tells me.

"What do you want handsome" And of course I smile back knowing all to well what the answer to that question is. I see it in his smile and eyes. Not to mention that huge erection that is waving at me right now.

_Hi Mister Dicklicious! How are you? _This man makes me think embarrassing thoughts all the time. He makes me come out of my little shell and turns me into some seductive minx.

"All of you, naked, now" He happily obliges that. No foreplay was had this morning. He wanted me, right then and right there. No love making. I am happy with that, as he makes me more moist than any body of water he is used too. The man literally makes me ache for him.

I jump into his arms, wrapping my legs around his golden hard body. Thankfully I still didn't have anything on from our tryst last night, so I was open and ready for him. I immediately found the head of his extremely hard dick with my moist folds. I quiver knowing what he feels like when he is deep inside. I want him there now.

He kisses me with unbridled lust, deep and hard. Taking my tongue like it is a knot he is playing with, working to and fro. This man fits me like he was made just for me. Every curve of his body, every line fits mine to a T. My second favorite part of his body, besides that glorious dick of his, is the hip line. The one that forms at his hips and leads down to all his wonderful business, making a V shape. ... It leads to Mr. Dicklicious…. One word. YUMMY.

I jump down off of him, making sure his eyes are following mine and start licking the lines of this precious V. This alone makes me almost come. He smells like man, sea and now sex. He is my own perfume that I want to wear all the time over every sensual part of my body.

When I get to the intersection, where the head of his erection is smiling at me, I lick from base to tip, making sure to salute the boys on the way to the top. The closed eyes tell me everything I need to know. So does the twitch that is happening in my mouth as I take him fully. Slowly starting my way up and then down and up again, licking in between, I graze the tip with my teeth eliciting a slight moan from Finn. I keep going until I know he is about to explode, and I slowly make my way to his mouth by kissing and licking my way up. I won't let him get off that easy and he knows it.

As I reach his mouth immediately he inhales my lips, taking my breath away with the savagery of the action. Like it will be the last time he will ever kiss me.

We slam against the wall as he lifts and enters me at the same time. We both suddenly stop, taking a moment to absorb the fullness and completeness of us together, ultimately one. The world could be on fire at the moment and we would never know. Nor would we care as long as we were right here, together.

When I finally open my eyes, he smiles the most devilish grin making me want him even more. Then he pounds his dick into me so hard, I wince due to still being a little sore from last night. Finn immediately looks in my eyes to make sure I am ok. "It's ok honey, we just might have had a little too much fun last night is all" After I place a gentle kiss on the tip of his nose, I buck my hips to him so he knows I want more and that I am ok. Nothing compares to this feeling as he moves in and out of me, gradually getting faster with each thrust. Each time he grazes my clit I start to come unraveled, slowing building up to the ultimate climax. "Finn, fuck me harder"

"Cum for me Annie" Somehow Finn managed to grab some of my hair and has started to pull it. The more we merge together, the harder he pulls. I think I like that, and will have to tell him so later.

"Let's… cum…oh god…. Together"

Finn fucks me harder than he has in a long time. As I start to come, releasing my self onto his dick, I feel him filling me from the inside. Hot, warm and the best feeling a woman can have. Satisfied and complete.

Wait, what was I doing? I need to focus and get back to reality, the here and now. NO FUN! I want to keep replaying this all day until Finn comes home and we can start a new memory.

Oh well, I guess I should try to keep myself occupied in another way instead of sitting here day dreaming all day…. Finnick… those eyes….that V…._Mr. Dicklicious._ CRAP! I have got to snap out of this! How am I ever to have a steady enough hand to mend and sew today when I am in this condition?

After a quick shower, my long now honey hued hair in a ponytail and comfy clothes, I am ready for the day. _Ready for Finn to come home and ravage me again._

Seriously, this man is like a drug I can't get enough of.

On my way to the Sew and Sews Mend and Hem store, I whistle as I go. Don't ask me why I am whistling, it seems I have picked up a habit from my sweet man. Another habit I picked was the knot making, hence this turned into my ability to mend and sew. Who knew I would be good at this? Sure, since I lived in District 4 I knew a lot of ways to do different knots before, but not like Finn does. Finnick has shown me every knot to make, which I picked up with ease. This also helps me with my "episodes" which is much appreciated as I do not like going to those deep and dark places, especially alone.

Sew and Sews is like a second home to me, a comfort zone where I can tune out the world, sew beautiful dresses and outfits, mend and hem clothing and such. I have come to love what I can create and design with my two hands. As I step off the shuttle, that I didn't remember getting on, I take a deep breath of air and close my eyes telling Finnick to have a good day. I know he is not here, but I like to know I said bye to him one last time before I go to work. It starts my work day right and leaves me with the thought of him. As if he would ever leave there.


	7. Meeting the New Girl

**Thank you guys for reviewing, especially Howlynn! It is appreciated more than you know. We promise, we are getting some where with this, there is a twist or two. LOL. Please keep reviewing and give input, we need it! **

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Gale's POV

I walked into the conference room hoping to get a seat close to the door. My strategy was not unique, I wanted to be one of the first to escape when the meeting ended. Unfortunately I was not the only one with the same idea so I had to settle for a chair halfway down the table.

BeeTee was already seated at the head of the table, head bent over some new contraption he was working on. The man's a genius. He's amazing.

According to PIIA it was 8:10 and the meeting should begin soon. I had quite a lot to do today, but that's the way I like it. I prefer to stay busy, almost overloaded. It makes the hours and minutes turn into days and weeks that fly by. When I'm idle my mind tends to wander down paths I'd rather not be dragged down.

I nodded to several team members as they walked in and found seats. BeeTee walked over and set his contraption in the center of the table. As he straightened up, he glanced my way and smiled. "Hey, Gale. I see we'll be working together for a while today." I smiled back, nodding. "Morning, BeeTee. Yeah, the schedule has us both in Cyber 'til lunch. Should be fun." He nodded back, adjusted his glasses, and made his way back to the front, stopping occasionally to talk with various team members along the way.

I picked up my cup of coffee, inhaled its rich aroma and sipped the hot liquid into my mouth. I allowed it to roll over my tongue before swallowing, closing my eyes as it travelled down my throat and settled low and warm in my belly. I have to give the CAACD kitchen staff credit – they sure can make a perfect pot of coffee.

BeeTee cleared his throat, effectively calling the meeting to order, and a hush settled over the room as all eyes turned toward him. 3 unfamiliar persons were sitting at the front to his left and I assumed them to be the reason for this meeting.

"Ladies, gentlemen, it's my pleasure to introduce you to the three newest team members here at CAACD. I'm going to let each of them introduce themselves to you and then I'd appreciate it if you all would go out of your way to make them feel welcome. I will have another item to discuss before the meeting is adjourned, so please remain seated after they've spoken."

Glancing at the woman occupying the chair closest to him, he began. "First of all, let me introduce Shasta Burrows. Shasta, please stand and tell us a little bit about yourself." The woman stood, turning to face the rest of the room. She was middle aged, attractive and gave off an air of confidence that made you think of dynamite, small packages and all that. She had coal black hair with a silver streak that framed the left side of her face. It made me wonder if it was natural or the work of a clever stylist.

"Hello, everyone. As you already know, my name is Shasta. I hail from District 6 and I have over 30 years of experience in transportation. I specialize in armored utility transportation. I look forward to not only offering you my expertise, but to learning from the vast resources available here at the CAACD."

As Shasta took her seat, BeeTee proceeded to introduce the man next to her. "Next I'd like to introduce to you Cimarron Hebert. Cimarron, the floor is yours."

My first impression of Cimarron was not very favorable, perhaps a bit jealous. He seemed to be another pretty boy, too young to possibly have any knowledge or experience that would benefit our team. His copper colored hair, pale skin and dark eyes gave the impression he was probably from District 4. I not so much heard as felt the sighs coming from the fairer sex in the room. Poor kid – must be terrible to be adored by people you've never even met before. This must be what Finn goes through every day. Cimarron was tall and lean. The expression on his face was sober, uncomfortable, like he didn't like crowds. He seemed unaware of the effect he had upon the majority of those in attendance.

"Hello. My name is Cimarron, as BeeTee has stated. I'm from District 10. In my short work life, I've made a name for myself within the genetics field. It has been my pleasure to work with Dr. Raymond Foster for the last 5 years. You may know him for his dedication to eradicating disease via enhanced genetics in livestock. I believe I have much to offer you, and much to learn from you. I look forward to working with you all."

He took his seat and I swear it was almost comical to watch the expressions on the faces of the women, those who figured out he'd be in their department, and those who discovered he wouldn't. I would've laughed if it wouldn't have been so quiet.

BeeTee gestured for the last guest to rise. "Last but not least, it is my pleasure to introduce you to Ember Kendrick. Ember…"

I took another sip of my coffee as Ember turned to face us. Big mistake. I hadn't been able to get a good look at any of the new employees from my vantage point, until they stood. When I looked up from my cup to check out Ember I nearly choked on my coffee. It was all I could do to force myself to swallow, not spew. There, standing at the head of the table was the personification of my dreams. This was no tiny little miss, this was a woman, fashioned by the gods to torment my dreams. Tall, voluptuous, her face framed by golden curls that had been pinned into a loose knot at her neck. From here I could see the emerald eyes, the soft pink lips, the fullness in her breasts and hips. I was frozen in place, afraid to move, but also aware that if I didn't get out of here soon the effect she had on me would be apparent to anyone I had to walk past to get out. Shit. How did I get myself in this fix and more importantly, what am I going to do about it? SOMEONE UP THERE BETTER BE LISTENING IN AND HELPING ME OUT! I had been so consumed with her outer beauty that it took me a few seconds to realize she had already begun to speak.

"…from District 5. I've been trained in the ability to harness power from various resources, earth, wind, water, and fire – pretty much anything Mother Nature created. My specialty is the capability to capture and channel that power and then to redirect it, to control not only where it comes from, but where it goes and how it gets there. I believe I bring much to the table and am happy for the opportunity to use my skills for the betterment of Panem. Thank you for allowing me this opportunity. I look forward to getting to know each of you."

Ember took her seat and BeeTee swiftly moved the meeting along. The contraption he had been working on earlier was a portable time transistor. He advised that he hadn't worked out all of the bugs, but that it was a huge step towards time travel. He had been able to use it to travel small portions of time, up to 5 minutes forward and backwards, and he was extremely excited about the possibilities it contained. BeeTee told us he would schedule training with each department to learn how to utilize the transistor and asked everyone to be ready to offer any suggestions or advise that might further this progress along.

It wasn't until BeeTee nudged my shoulder that I realized he had ended the meeting and everyone had filed out. Everyone that is, except for BeeTee, myself and Ember. "Gale, I know you are going to be busy this morning, but I'd like you to clear your schedule after lunch and show Ember around. Help her get familiar with the layout of CAACD and how everything works around here. As a matter of fact, why don't you two have lunch together, too. That will give you a chance to get to know each other a little better before you start. I'm going to have the two of you working together for the next few days." And with that, he slapped me on the back and proceeded to walk out of the conference room with Ember. I swear I heard him laughing at me.

Shit. Damn. Shit. I couldn't think of anything else to say. I mean, I don't know if I'm happy that I'm going to have Ember practically all to myself for the next few days, or if I'm mad that I'm going to have to spend the next few days walking with, talking to, having lunch with the girl of my dreams while I constantly have to shift my hard on around trying to keep it from being visible to her. Shit! It was going to be a long day, and I didn't doubt for one minute that the night was going to be longer.


	8. What The ?

Finnick's POV:

It's almost lunch time and I'll need to find somewhere to anchor the boat soon. It's been quite an eventful day already. After the "mishap" on the shuttle, I made it to work without further embarrassing myself. Not that it bothers me too much, because I was daydreaming of my woman, but still. I spent most of the morning checking out the beach and inspecting some of the plants along the coast of Eden.

Everything looked pristine and lush as it always has until I noticed some odd brown spots on the leaves of a few plants on the north side of the beach. This was definitely odd - our environment is so controlled. We rarely have disease – in humans, animals, or plants. I plucked several samples and tucked them into envelopes to send to the lab for review, just to be on the safe side.

I reminded myself that I had to always be aware that Mother Nature is one step ahead of man. That's why I had this job - to be on the look out for abnormalities. I just never expected to find anything out of place, especially here of all places. This didn't give me a good feeling at all.

I decided to take the boat and make a run across the north side of the beach just to make sure there was nothing more to be concerned about in the water.

Everything looks good as I make a quick sweep past the beach, so I take it a little farther out and stop for a lunch break. Dropping anchor, I go down into the cabin and fix a quick lunch. It's cooler in the cabin – I didn't realize I had been so warm outside. I remind myself to check the temperature after lunch. I can't seem to shake the uneasy feeling I've had ever since I found the damaged leaves. After lunch, I lay down to rest a few minutes hoping to organize my thoughts before going back on deck.

I close my eyes and visions of Annie fill my mind, relaxing me instantly. I love that woman with everything in me. She's my whole fucking world. We have our entire lives ahead of us – years of dreams to fulfill. I want to share everything with her. I want children with her – lots of children. I want lots of practice conceiving those children! I want a home on the beach. I want long walks on that beach every morning and every evening. I dream of making love to her with the sounds of waves crashing and the salt air floating in through the open windows. I dream of making love to her as the sun rises on the far side of Eden and starts to peek through the curtains and highlight her skin. I dream of making love to her on the beach in the soft, warm sand and in the cool of the water. I will christen every part of my future, my life, my body with imprints of Annie. I will see these dreams come true. I make that promise for both of us and for our future.

Anxiety about the leaves keeps me from resting long, call it intuition or whatever you like, but I have a gut feeling something is not right. I go on deck, pull up anchor and decide to check out the waters about a mile out off the north shore. When I get to where I can barely make out the beach, I stop the boat, walk around and peer out at the water as far as I can see. I take a deep breath, inhaling the salty air and feel it pierce my lungs in a warm and welcome way. I feel the breeze run her fingers through my hair and caress my skin like it has done a million times before. She's quite possessive of me. This is my life. This is home. It has been a part of me since before I was born. It is in my blood. I bet if you take a sample of my blood it will contain salt water!

I notice again that I am warmer than usual, my skin feels almost hot. I check the temperature and sure enough, it's a couple of degrees warmer than it should be. I jot this down in the captain's log and decide to take a quick swim to cool off. It doesn't help. The water here is warmer than usual, too. I am really concerned now. What the fuck going on? Is there some connection between the brown spots on the plants and the changes in temperature?

I climb back into the boat and take some samples of the water. I note the waters temperature in the log, and place the water samples with the leaf samples. I take one last sweep around the beach before I head back, overly cautious, I know, but I can't help myself. About half way back the sunlight reflects off of something floating just under the surface of the water. I feel goose bumps break out all over. This is not right, something is very fucking wrong.

I stop and walk over to the railing, peering down into the water and see if I can make out the cloudy image in the aqua waters. Shit! Fish. Dead fish, or to be more exact, hundreds of dead fish. What the hell is going on? Fish do NOT die in mass out here! Something is definitely not right. They have not been dead long – there is no odor on the breeze nor have they been eaten – this is not chum – it is an entire school, floating belly up.

I want to scream. These fish and these waters are my life. What have I done, or not done, to protect them? A variety of emotions sweep across me – sadness, grief, pain, anger, and frustration. Dipping a net down into the water, I scoop up several fish and place them in a large container. These, too, will go to the lab for inspection. I have to figure this out. If this is something new, I need to find a way to overcome it.

What is happening? How long has it been going on? Is this just some small twisted gift that Mother Nature has sent to shake me up? Has it affected other areas of Eden? What about District 14 – has anyone else been affected? The sooner I get these samples back to the lab, the sooner I can begin to get answers. My fear is that the answers will only leave me with more questions – questions that I may not be able to answer. Why do I feel like I'm running out of time? Why do I feel the need to hurry. I need Annie and I need her now.

I wish I could have foreseen the danger ahead. Even if I could have, I don't know that I could have prevented the magnitude of the catastrophic events that would soon take place and affect us all.


	9. Haymitch Pissyness

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Haymitch POV:

Since I was able to get rid of the two love birds I can actually open my eyes. What the hell is that smell? Is that me? What the fuck? When was the last time I took a shower?

After I take my first shower in a week and eat the first real meal I have had in two days, I am ready to face the Godforsaken people in this district. Thankfully I have a job that doesn't suck so much.

See, I have assumed the responsibility of checking on all the trees in our district that we have planted and now care for. It calms my nerves, gets me away from the god-awful duo, and helps my mind silence itself. Oh well, it keeps me sane and sober for the time I am there. This sobriety shit is NOT all it is cracked up to be. An AA member I will never be. Take that to the bank.

After I get dressed and get on my way on the new transport system, I get to The Grove. I quickly look up at the sky and notice it is a ghastly pale shade of grey, which for around here is not the norm. Am I the only one around here that has noticed this lifeless sky? It reminds me of the games, full of dread, weariness and loneliness. Makes the hair on the back of my neck stand on end.

Anyway, back to The Grove. We have more trees than the man on the moon could shoot a stick at. Small, big, tall, short, they all encompass you and take you in under their cool limbs. I always say hello to them, and they greet me with their flowing limbs waving hello.

The Cypress is the tallest and scariest foe, reaching to the heavens and peeking into the now dead sky. The hovering that this wicked sky is doing, seems like a blatant threat that lingers on my feeble friends. The weeping Willows look sad and defeated, but they are silent. Keeping a secret hidden beneath the branches.

We have every type of tree imaginable, and have created many more that are hybrids. These trees have helped produce more output of Oxygen than the normal non-hybrid trees. Beetee is one smart mother-fucker. He is a genius! Not that I would ever tell his ass that, but he is.

He is also trying to wean me off the hooch. HA! Wean me off the hooch? Again, I am no AA member. Bastard thinks by creating some pill for me, which I do not take, that I will stop drinking. Not happening buddy. I've had to be weaned from so many things since the Games that I refuse to let anyone wean me again!

My favorite tree is the cherry tree. It reminds me of what I don't have, a woman. Sensual flowers that emit the sweetest scent that captures you senses and brings you in, flowing limbs that dance gracefully like only a woman can, and long branches that all remind me of what I still long for. The smell of the blooming cherry trees with their white and pink petals floating through the air makes me hungry. The pear and apple trees are blooming as well, and the sight is almost pretty. If I had a woman, I would take her here. Funny how thinking about food made me think of a woman. Again, if. That is a big two letter word. One I don't like to think about.

This place is a lush garden many acres wide that has every canopy of tree imaginable, and is breath taking. Except that is kind of like an oxymoron because these things are giving us air. I crack myself up when I listen to the hooch induced shit that comes out of my mind.

As I make my rounds on the outskirts of the Grove, I notice several of the trees that are planted on the back end of the Grove have blackened bark, and many dead and fallen leaves. This has never happened before and is a new one on me. Something is telling me to take some samples back to the lab and have Beetee and his minions look at this. Not that I care, but this just doesn't look right. As I cut a few pieces of bark out of the tree, I notice that that inside is also damaged, almost as if it had been set on fire. Weird. After taking a picture of that and sending it to Beetee on my PIIA, I also attach a verbal message telling him we need to meet in the Genetics Lab of CAACD this afternoon about this. He sends me an instant reply that it's not a problem as he was already going to be there. Something about Finnick and fish. Not sure what that was about as I still can't concentrate long enough to care.

Since I don't have to meet Beetee until after 3 pm and it is now only 11 am, I think now would be as good a time as any to take a little nap. Something about the canopy of the trees, the cool ground and the silence lets me sleep better here than I can at home with wine in me.


	10. Ember

Ember's POV:

This is quite the week for firsts – my first time in District 14, first time living on my own, first day on the new job…will my life ever feel "normal" and "routine" again? Life has been anything but normal for so long and I'm tired of the struggle, but I'm not quite ready to give up yet.

This is going to be my chance, my opportunity to change the path I've been dragged down and make something more for myself – a future – that is vastly different from the past. I am all alone and sick of it. The revolution took so much more from me than I ever expected. I lost my home, my family, my love and several times almost my life. My home was destroyed by bombs dropped during a raid from the Capitol. My mother and young brother were home when it was destroyed. They probably never knew what hit them; at least that is my hope. I had been out bringing food to the men and women who were fighting for our freedom, two of whom were dear to my heart – my father and Tucker, my fiancé. My father was killed a few days later in battle. Tucker, who had been my childhood sweetheart, had been captured by the Capitol's goons and was injected with a lethal amount of Tracker Jacker venom and died days before the Capitol fell. Why the hell was I left? Why did I have to survive? All I wanted to do was crawl away into some chasm and disappear.

I don't know how, but I managed to keep living and functioning, sometimes just going through the motions. I moved into a temporary shelter and was put to work helping out others as unfortunate as I, or worse. I helped feed them, distributed clothing, set up schedules for baths & immunizations, and assigned sleeping quarters. I soon tired of living among all the suffering and oppression, as it felt like I was being pulled even further under. It was time for me to get on with my life and to find myself again, the real me. I needed to start over, to find something to live for. I decided after some research that a job offering at the CAACD in District 14 was as good a place to begin as any. They seemed to be working towards a better and brighter future, trying to make our world a safer place. Something so many of us were not even familiar with, it was all to intriguing to walk away from the offer.

And so, here I am, at the CAACD, day one on my new job and on my way to lunch with Gale Hawthorn, a man I was introduced to earlier this morning and whom I will be working with over the next few days.

Talk about first impressions! From all outward appearances, Gale can be summed up in one word – HOT! HOLY HOTNESS to be exact. Tall, well built, coal black hair and cool grey eyes, and ALL man. My stomach did a little flip and my heart rate accelerated just looking at him. Five minutes later I had a completely different opinion. Let's just say that intellectually I didn't give him rave reviews. When BeeTee introduced us right after the meeting, he just stared at me like he was missing a card or two from his deck. Glassy eyed, unfocused, blank. He was barely able to absorb the fact that BeeTee was talking to him and completely unable to put two words together to form a reply! He sure didn't get this job with his ability to communicate. Can you say ditz?

I hope lunch is better than our first meeting. I'm not interested in a one sided conversation, nor does spending the next few days with Zombie Man appeal to me. Not at all. Maybe I'll get lucky and this morning's incident will have just been a fluke. Maybe he was ill or something and he'll be better by lunch. Oh well, at least I will be able to appreciate the view. And who knows - I might get lucky and have a chance to check out the rear view, too! My favorite view on a man, who can resist at least a look?

Gale's POV:

It took every ounce of concentration I had to get through this morning. One of the traps BeeTee and I had created was causing us trouble as it kept hanging up when it was triggered and wouldn't close around its prey. It's been quite a headache for us, which is not an easy feet since BeeTee knows everything under the sun about anything. Finally we decided to ask Finnick to come by and take a look at it to see if he had any suggestions. While I was leaving for lunch, BeeTee was trying to get in touch with Finnick, apparently unable to immediately reach him. This is not unusual as he is always in the damn water. Waterboy, Surfer, Assclown; I have several names for the Pretty Boy, but he does have his uses.

I was standing in the hallway to the kitchen, waiting for Ember to show up, and suddenly feeling like an idiot. Shit, I really know how to impress a woman! Play dumb. Act stupid…. Go mute! Works every time! Especially if what you are trying to accomplish is to stay single and celibate! What a dumb ass! At this rate I doubt I could win a date with a snail much less a woman. I told myself to get my act together while I mentally kicked myself in the ass. Why can't I act like I have a cell or two left in the thick mass I call a brain? Maybe she didn't notice my lapse and I'll have a chance to give her a better impression at lunch. Yeah, right.

I spotted Ember in a crowd of people on their way to lunch, as she was hard to miss. I moved toward her and smiled hoping to catch her attention. She was listening intently to some guy who seemed to be taking up too much of her personal space to make me happy. Why did I suddenly get pissed off at this guy? She looked up right at the time I smiled and I waved her over to me. She smiled back, excused herself and strolled over to me. Did I mention she was beautiful, a knockout? I didn't know where to look first. Her beautiful green eyes were looking straight at me, but those gorgeous lips were smiling at me, too. Then there were her hips, which were swaying provocatively towards me with each step she took, which helped bounce those great breasts of hers at the same time. Get a freaking grip, man! You're acting like a hyper-sexed teenager!

"Hi. Gale, right?" she asked. "Yeah. And you're Ember, right?" I replied. She smiled again and nodded, causing the tiny curls around her face to bounce. I'm going to have to pray for some control with this little firecracker. I seem to be losing any self control I've ever had. Shit! Act like a man, not a boy, I keep telling myself. It's not working out really well.

"The kitchen's right through there." I nodded towards the doors behind me. "Let's go see what they have today and then we can get acquainted."

We ordered our food and sat at a small table near a window. "So, what do you think of CAACD so far?" I asked. "I'm a bit overwhelmed," she replied. "I didn't expect so many names and faces to remember. "It won't be so bad after you've been here a few days," I said. Soon they'll all become familiar and you'll feel like you've always known them. Some of the best people I've ever been privileged to know work here."

A waiter brought us our lunch and we ate in silence for a few minutes. I tried really hard not to stare at her, unsuccessfully. I couldn't seem to help myself. It was like Déjà vu. I felt like I'd seen her so many times before and it was hard to believe she was real. It was going to be difficult to restrain myself from treating her like the woman in my dreams. All I needed right now was to freak her out and run her off! Somehow I would have to find a way to get to know her better without scaring her off.

I broke the silence by asking "How do you like District 14? Have you settled in, managed to find your way around?" "I like it so far," she replied. "I finished unpacking over the weekend but I haven't had any time for sight seeing. There's a little coffee shop right around the corner from my flat that has really delicious pastries. I've managed to get by there a couple of times, but that's as far as I've ventured." "I'd be happy to show you around, if you like." I offered. "I've been here a while and know pretty much where everything is. Things work a little different here than in the other districts, so if you have any questions, feel free to ask." "Thanks," she said, smiling. "I'd like that." The color of her eyes darkened to a shade of pine as she replied. My stomach clenched and my dick twitched in response. Shit! This wasn't going to be easy. She was making it hard by making it easy – making me hard. Rock hard.

We managed to keep up a basic conversation during the rest of lunch. Afterwards, I asked her what she would like to see first. "I would love for you to show me around outside. I'm very interested in the power infrastructure and where the sources of power are generated and the operation of it all. If that's okay with you?"

"Sure, that's fine. It gives us somewhere to start." I said. "I guess the best place to begin is the fueling stations. Then we can head over to the production and distribution warehouses. Sound good to you?"

"Sounds fine." She smiled at me again and I watched as her eyes darkened. "I'll follow you." I swear I saw a hint of a smile form at the corner of her mouth.

As I started towards the shuttle that would take us to the nearest fueling station, I had the distinct feeling that I was being eye molested. It was not a scary, spooky kind of feeling, but it was unsettling. Probably because I knew who was watching. Damn. I hope she likes the view.

Embers POV:

I followed Gale down the hall and towards the shuttle, deliberately taking advantage of the opportunity to check out the "rear" view. Just as I suspected, it was quite a nice view, one I would love to take in daily. Just as nice as everything else I had checked out at lunch. His coal black hair was shiny and thick, with just a few waves in it. It was just long enough to run your fingers through and grab. His cool grey eyes had tiny flecks of gun-metal blue in them and they glinted when he laughed. His laughter made my stomach do those little flippy things again. I'd have to remember to make him laugh more often. I liked that feeling. A lot.

Gale wore a pull over shirt that skimmed over what appeared to be a nicely sculpted chest. I could easily imagine running my hands over it and down the very flat, rock hard abs that had to be there, too. His jeans rode low on his hips and fit snug around the curve of his ass when he walked. It was a really nice ass. Almost like an apple, makes you want to reach out and bite it.

I would definitely change my first impression. Gale proved over lunch that he was quite capable of handling his side of conversations and that he was knowledgeable about the activities surrounding the CAACD. Hmmm…maybe it was possible to have brawn and brain all in one tidy, tight, gorgeously wrapped package. I wonder what else he's capable of handling. Might be fun to find out. I think I'm going to have to take him up on his offer to show me around and hope that I get to see more than just the local grocer and Laundromat. It made me squeeze my thighs together just thinking about the possibilities. We'll just have to wait and see. Great, now I want an apple.


	11. A Night with My Lady

Finnick's POV:

"Here, let me have those." BeeTee took the samples from me and set them aside. "Tell me what you found today."

I dropped onto the sofa across from his desk and briefed him about my day, about the leaves, the temperature and the fish. I had reviewed this over and over in my mind all afternoon searching for clues that I had overlooked. "I'm not sure what the fuck is going on. I can't tell if all of this is related or completely separate incidents. I need to see if you can find out what the hell is wrong with each of these samples and if there is a common thread that links them all together."

"This may be a stretch, but the brown spots on the leaves you found…well, Haymitch called me a little while ago and he found some dead leaves and what looks like burned bark on some of the trees in the Groves. He sent me a picture of them, but he is bringing the samples by later on." He was studying the samples in their containers while he talked to me. I could tell he was anxious to get started on this new project I had brought him.

"How long before you will have any answers for me?" I asked. "It's too soon to say right now." he said. "I'd like to analyze Haymitch's samples and compare them to these before I give a final answer. I'll do my best to keep you posted, but it may be a couple of days before I have any definite answers. Is that okay for you?"

"I guess it's going to have to be okay." I took a deep breath to calm myself. I was agitated and impatient but knew better than to rush BeeTee. Nobody was better able to find the answers I needed. "Just let me know the minute you have anything."

BeeTee smiled at me. "You know I will. Meantime, I have something I need you to look at for me." He walked out into the lab and beckoned for me to follow him. "Gale and I have been working on this trap and it keeps malfunctioning after it's triggered. We were wondering if you might have any suggestions."

I looked at the trap and didn't notice anything out of the ordinary. "Can you show me what you're talking about?" I asked. He set the trap and tossed a ball into it, causing the trigger to release. The trap snapped shut and then collapsed back open. He repeated this a couple of more times. "Gale couldn't figure this one out?" I asked. "Nope. That's why I'm asking you. We have looked at this and studied it until we are cross-eyed. Any thoughts or suggestions from you will be most appreciated."

"Let me take it with me for a couple of days and study it in more detail. I'll let you know what I figure out, okay?" I asked. "Sure, not a problem." he said. He wrapped the snare up and placed it in a bag for me. I took the bag from him and looked back over at my samples sitting in his office. "Maybe this will keep me busy until you have something for me."

"Don't worry about this too much, Finn. You have my word that I'll do my best to find out what caused this. I have some of the best researchers in science right here in my lab and I'll make use of their skills. I know how serious this can be, and how important it is to you, but remember – it might not be anything serious at all. I'll call you as soon as I have anything." He assured me as he ushered me out of the lab. "Thanks," I said and made my way back to the shuttle.

I felt a little better knowing that BeeTee was working on it, but I was still concerned knowing that Haymitch had found similar problems on his trees in the Groves. Maybe this was some fungus or algae. Who knows? I shook my head to try and clear it. I checked the time and realized Annie would be getting off of work soon. If I was lucky, I could meet her at work and walk home with her. Sometimes the girls in her shop get caught up in their gossip and forget the time. I decided to give her a call just in case. Surely she could help take my mind off of today. She answered my call and assured me she was just cleaning up her station and would wait for me before locking up.

The shuttle dropped me off at the shop just as the ladies were leaving. The door chimed as I walked in and Annie looked up, smiling when she saw it was me. Her smile made my heart beat faster. I loved how she always seemed happy to see me. "Hey, handsome. Just in time as always!" she said as she grabbed her jacket and keys and pulled me out the door, locking it behind her. Turning back towards me, she slipped her arm through mine and leaned up and kissed me quickly. "You look tired. Tell me about your day."

As we walked towards home I told her about everything that had happened. It had been a long day. She was quiet and let me talk until I ran out of things to say. I could feel her eyes as they searched my face from time to time during my monologue. I knew if I stopped and looked that I would see eyes that reflected concern and love for me. It made me grateful to have a wife that cared about me, about my work, my happiness. Annie made me feel like anything and everything about me was the most important thing to her.

"Let's go out tonight. Maybe the Bistro you love so much and a little dancing or a walk in the park? How does that sound to you?" I suggested. Her eyes lit up and she squealed ecstatically! "Yes! That sounds perfect! All of it!" She was so easy to please and it made me feel guilty that I didn't think to do these little things for her more often. I'd have to change that.

I pulled my arm out of hers and wrapped it around her waist, pulling her close to my side. I leaned down to kiss the top of her head, inhaling her sweet shampoo and relishing how perfectly she molded to me. Instantly I felt more relaxed than I had since I left her in bed this morning. "You're good medicine for me, you know that?" I asked her. She just looked up and smiled at me, wrapping her arms around my waist and hugging me tightly. She leaned up and gently kissed my neck, causing a jolt of electricity to flow straight to my gut. "If we're going to go out tonight, you might not want to get me all worked up." I teased. "Whatever you want, Finn." She flirted back. "You've made me very happy and I want to make you happy, too!" Did I mention I was the luckiest man in the world? Yeah, go ahead – you can be jealous. I don't mind.

We got home, showered and dressed to go out. Naturally, I was dressed before Annie, so I sat on the edge of the bed and watched as she finished getting ready. I love to watch her primp and preen. She swept her hair up, twisted high on top of her head and secured it with several tiny clips that glittered in the light. Annie wasn't much on makeup, preferring a little powder, mascara and a soft pink lip gloss. Tonight she chose to wear a sleeveless dress with a scooped neck. It hung straight down, the hem stopping halfway down her thighs. It was a beautiful shade of blue that accented her eyes and the fabric was soft and clung to all of my favorite curves. She finished off her look with a pair of silver heels and her favorite silver teardrop earrings and matching necklace. I helped her with the clasp on her necklace just for an excuse to touch her. I couldn't resist the chance to kiss her on the neck. She stepped away from me, and raising her arms over her head, she slowly turned in a circle and asked "How do I look?" If she only knew what she did to me when she arched her perfect little eyebrows and swayed those perfect little hips. "Breathtaking." I whispered as I placed my hands on her hips, pulled her towards me and bent down to kiss her. I poured every promise I could think of into that kiss. Promises of a lovely evening, of more kisses to come, and of a long, fulfilling future. Grazing my lips along her jaw and down her neck I warned her "We'd better get out of here before the last ounce of resolve I have disappears." Sighing contentedly, she looked up at me and whispered "I love you, too, Finn."

I turned her towards the door and gently pushed her out. "Let's go before I decide to take you right here, right now." She smiled over her shoulder and skipped ahead of me through the door.

The night was unsurpassable. The Bistro was within walking distance of our flat so we opted not to take the shuttle. The night air was balmy with a soft breeze that carried the scent of Eden with it. We ordered the French Onion Soup, her favorite, followed by the Coq au Vin perfectly accented with a delicious Pinot Noir. For dessert, we shared a chocolate soufflé. Afterwards I pulled Annie out to the patio. It was a small, intimate dance floor complete with live musicians playing romantic music. Annie loved the atmosphere of the patio as much as the food. Soft twinkle lights were strung throughout the tree branches, mimicking the stars in the sky. Candles and flowers abounded in every nook and cranny.

"Feeling any better?" Annie asked as she gently rubbed her thumbs along my cheeks. "Much." I replied, kissing the tip of her nose and wrapping my arms around her waist. Dancing with Annie on the patio was like an aphrodisiac and I didn't want this night to end. After several dances, Annie suggested we take a walk through the park on our way home and I agreed. We left the Bistro replete and contented. I laced my fingers through hers, linking her to me and making sure anyone who passed us by knew she was mine.

During the day the park was filled with families and small children playing on the playground and couples strolling around the pond. The pond was the main attraction, found directly in the center of the park. Every path within the park led to the pond. A small family of ducks that lived in the park could often be found swimming around and beautiful Koi could be seen gliding just under the surface of the water. Everyone came to the park to toss crumbs into the pond to feed both the fish and the ducks.

At night, the park was lit with lamps all along each pathway. There was a small bridge crossing over the center of the pond and it, too, was lit with lamps. Annie pulled me towards the bridge, stopping at the top and leaning over the side to peer down into the reflections in the waters below. It was serene here. The water reflected the inky black sky, the glittering stars, and the flickering of the lamps.

It was restful and I was lost in my thoughts when I felt Annie rub her cheek against my shoulder. Looking down I could see her eyes closed and a small smile on her lips. "What are you thinking?" I asked quietly, not wanting to disturb the peaceful atmosphere. Without opening her eyes, she replied, "About you. About how contented I am right now. About how, for so long, I was tormented by the games and my fear of losing you, and of not having a future with you. But not any more. I have you now, and the games are gone – over with. There is no more fear of losing you and our future has just begun. I love you, love this – us – tonight, right now. Everything in my life is absolutely perfect because of you." She sighed and I couldn't help but pull her towards me and kiss her. I kissed her deeply, with all the passion and longing I had in me. I wrapped my hands around her waist and held her tightly against me. I physically ached with need and want for her. "Let's go home." I whispered into her mouth.

We turned and walked slowly home, arms entwined together. I wanted to stay in this moment, never let it go. I needed her, needed this.

We entered our flat and I softly closed the door, locking it behind us. I gathered Annie in my arms and carried her to our room, setting her on her feet next to our bed. She wrapped her arms around my neck as I trailed kisses across her lips and eyes and ran my hands down to the hem of her dress, sliding it up over her hips as she raised her hands over her head and I pulled the dress off of her. Letting it fall to the floor, she groaned as I grazed my fingers down her arms, down the sides of her breasts and slid my hands underneath the sheer grey lace panties she wore and softly cupped her ass in my hands.

I pulled her towards me, grinding my aching need against her. She slid her hands down to grasp my biceps as her eyes closed as her head fell back. I took advantage of this position to slide my tongue down the length of her neck and sucked gently on the soft flesh of her shoulder. She shivered and moaned "I need you now, Finn." I lifted her up and laid her down on our bed.

I quickly rid myself of my clothes, unbuttoning my shirt and pants in record time, toeing my shoes off and kicking them away from me. I climbed onto the bed and hovered over her, taking in her exquisite beauty. Her bra was a thin grey satin edged in a tiny lace that matched her panties. She exuded sex and femininity. Her scent hung heavy in the air and clouded my thinking. My rock hard cock jerked in response to the jolt of lust that swept over me.

I reached out and deftly unclasped the front of her bra and swept my palms across each breast pushing the fabric out of the way. God, she was so soft. I leaned in and kissed each pink nipple softly, eliciting a deep moan from Annie. I felt her fingers as they threaded through my hair and drew me closer to her. I alternately nipped and tugged at each nipple with my mouth as my hands began a journey of their own. I slid my palms down her waist and pressed them against the flat plane of her stomach, kneading her soft, pliant skin. Annie whispered my name over and over again, like the chants of the mermaids in our legends, mesmerizing me with her voice. I massaged her hipbones with my thumbs as my fingers splayed across and squeezed the fullness of her rounded hips. Using my knee, I plied her legs apart, pushing between them until they laid open, flat against the bed, exposing her completely to me. Lowering myself against her hot center, I slid the length of my erection against the soft lace of her panties until her hips began to yield to my demands. Now frustrated with the layers of fabric remaining between us, I sat up, causing her fingers to release my hair, and pulled the bra over her shoulders tossing it aside. She lifted her hips allowing me to slide her panties and shoes off and they, too, were quickly relocated somewhere near her bra.

I allowed myself a moment to take in the sight her glorious nakedness before I whispered into her ear, "You look so fucking good, baby." "You still have too many clothes on, Finn." She whispered back, smirking at me with a twinkle in her eyes. "Let's see if I can remedy that." I said as I pushed myself off of her, causing her to cry out at the loss of contact. I slid my boxers off with lightening speed and was back with my dick sliding against her wet core before she could move from her position. "Now, Finn. I want you now." she moaned as her lips sought out mine.

"Patience, baby. We have all night and I'm not in the mood to rush. I fully intend to make love to you all night long, to give you everything I have and to take everything you've ever given to me and show you how much I love you for it. All night, baby." Her hands searched all over my body, groping and grabbing for anything to hold on to, anything to use in her pursuit of bringing us closer together, as one. Her lips seared my skin everywhere they placed heated kisses, igniting me until I felt I was being consumed by her fires.

Reaching down, I took my engorged member in my hand and placed the tip at her swollen opening. Looking up at her, I whispered to her, "Annie, baby. Look at me now." She looked into my eyes and I slowly entered her, stopping only when I was completely incased in her slick, tight heat. "I love you." I said, never losing eye contact with her as I began a slow thrust in and out, syncing with her in a steady, slow rhythm as I began to make love to her. We watched each other as our bodies danced together, joined as one, working together to complete the other half.

We uttered intimate words of love, of pleasure, teaching each other how each touch, caress and embrace brought us closer to consummation. I could feel the heat within beginning to roll forward like a tidal wave and groaned between the desire to give in to myself and the need to hold out longer for more than my immediate satisfaction. I wanted this to last longer, needed it to go on and on. Rejecting my bodies command to thrust harder, to move faster, I continued to assault both of us with a brutally slow and steady push and pull. My lips grazed her chin, her cheeks, her eyelids, before consuming her mouth. My hands drifted down her thighs, pulling up her knees and wrapping her tighter around my body. "Finn, oh god, Finn. Don't stop. Please." she whimpered against my lips. I felt her breathing speed up and her soft mewling shot straight to my gut. My nature warred with me to ravish her, but tonight was too important for my own personal agenda. I needed the pain of my restraint, needed to give of myself to her before I could allow the pleasure that threatened even now to swallow me whole. I needed this, her, us, entwined together like rivers ebbing and flowing together with the tide.

"Finn!" Annie screamed my name into my mouth. She threw her head back and violently arched underneath me, unable to fight the wave of pleasure that coiled within her. My tongue left a wet trail down her neck to her breast as I continued to ravage her body. She bucked and rocked underneath me until I could hold back no more. "Fuck! Yeah, Annie." I hissed. "Fuck, yeah!" I thrust my dick deep within her as her body sucked and pulled every inch of me into her, my thick, hot cum exploding into her as I gave in, slamming us together and grinding into her trying to milk every drop of pleasure from both of us.

When I was able to regain control over my body and could breath again, I kissed her as I slowly slid myself out from between her soft, wet folds. Her hands grabbed my hips to still them, not wanting to lose this feeling of completeness. I, too, immediately felt the loss of our connection and rolled behind her, spooning her to my chest, placing her head on my arm and tucking my free hand around her waist and between her legs, still wet with the results of our lovemaking. I fell into a dreamless sleep, no dreams, no nightmares. When I woke up, my hand was still between her legs, still wet making me wonder what kind of dreams she was having. My dick was instantly hard and I woke her up with my personal ministrations, not giving up until I heard her scream my name again.


	12. Sweet Dreams

**All our thanks, love, and all the other nice gooey things you say to someone that rocks and kicks ass go to the one and only Howylynn. Seriously, you are awesome. We love the help, critique, and reviews. THANK YOU DARLIN!**

Gale's POV:

I took advantage of the shuttle ride home to begin sorting the day out in my mind. I can't ever remember a day at work that was filled with more tension than today. From the moment Ember spoke at the meeting until she smiled when I told her I'd see her tomorrow, my mind and body were engaged in perpetual warfare. It is going to be one hell of a long week.

I was attracted to her, no doubt about it. I have operated at half mast and worse all day. Struggling to hide the super-sized bulge behind my button-ups is my new favorite pastime and I have to get creative to keep it from becoming obvious. Images of her are burned into my mind and even though I want to, I can't close my eyes and escape. I am threatened by how drawn I am to her. She is like gravity and I am being pulled defenselessly against my will. I feel like a rod of iron near a strong magnet. I can't remember any woman having such an immediate effect on me. I'd only met her this morning. One day. Shit, what was wrong with me?

All day I observe and study her like I would prey. I watch her body language, listen to every intonation of her voice, and study each expression that crosses her face. She is addicting and I think I am helpless against becoming dependent on my next fix. This isn't healthy. It can't be. I feel like I'm falling, not in love, but off of a high precipice with no assurance of a safe landing.

My mind recreates her fragrance. She smelled soft, like fresh washed laundry that had been hung to dry in the sweet, warm sunshine. I caught myself inhaling deep breaths hoping to catch her scent. How ridiculous is that?

Ember is smart and clever. During our quick tour of the fueling stations and warehouses this afternoon, I was impressed by her knowledge of the operations. She is passionate about her work. She definitely knows what she is talking about and even suggested a couple of small changes that would increase productivity. Smart women are sexy as hell! She is not intimidated by me nor did she come across as an in-your-face, pushy, self-assertive bitch that was climbing the ladder of success while you are the lowest rung on the ladder. Confidence is hot! She is professional and classy. Seductive.

And she is completely unaware of her effect on me. Damn, I think her lack of subtle gestures and innuendos is as arousing to me as her physical beauty.

After the award winning first act I gave this morning, I have my work cut out for me if I ever hope to get past "co-worker" status. I am aware that I'm not the ugliest guy in District 14 - not by a long shot. I work out every day to help minimize my frustrations and my body has reaped the benefits. I've seen the way women look at me and they definitely like what they see. Hell, I've even had some brush against me in passing to cop a feel! Evidently membership to the sexually frustrated club is still high.

But the one thing I've never had, the one thing that I want above all else, is a woman willing to stick around long enough to figure out I am worth keeping. Not even Katniss offered me that.

Ember strikes me as the type that is looking for more than a quick toss between the sheets and I find that more alluring than I care to admit. It's what makes me keep myself in check, apply some control.

The woman I am looking for will have a heart that won't be easy to snare. She'll want a man who she deems worthy of her, her heart, her love. She will be careful and cautious like a rabbit that has picked up the scent of a wolf. I will be the wolf so near, yet hidden in the shadows, careful, stealthy, quiet until I have her where I want her. I want to capture her, but not destroy her. My instinct compels me to protect her, to be what she needs to survive, to live, to love.

After a quick meal in the kitchen I shower and go to bed. I turn out the light and close my eyes, willing sleep to take me quickly, but all I can see is Ember. My mind drifts over the day and I channel my favorite moments. The swell of her breasts and hips I noticed at the meeting, the sunlight on her hair at lunch, her soft, full lips, and her eyes. I focus on the way she looked at me and listened, really listened, when I spoke to her.

I groan and roll flat on my back. I'm hard as a rock with no relief in sight. All I can think of is what her lips would feel like under my tongue and on my skin. I wonder what it would feel like to take her hair down and run my fingers through it. How soft would her skin feel against mine? Would we fit together perfectly? Oh, god. I'm killing myself slowly and for all the control I had today, I have none tonight. Knowing I will not be able to sleep in this condition, I reach under the covers and take my swollen, aching iron in hand, envisioning that it's her. Breathing her name out loud as though she could hear and react to my voice, I propel myself towards release and temporary relief.

Physically sated but emotionally unsatisfied, I lay here alone, ashamed of caving in to my need for immediate gratification and violating her unwitting image. I am powerless to the guilt tinged hunger that even now threatens to burn me alive from the inside out. What has come over me? I want this woman. I want to possess her body, her mind, and the passion I perceive lying underneath the defensive armor she has enveloped herself within. Exhaustion overtakes me and I fall asleep to haunting dreams of her calling my name while she runs away from me, just out of my reach.


	13. New Beginning

Ember's POV:

I glide my hand over the lock and open the door as relief washes over me. Kicking it shut, I embrace the refuge these walls extend to me. Home. I love the sound of that word as it falls from my lips. I breathe deeply allowing the palpable stress that has shadowed every moment of this extra-long day to roll off my shoulders in waves. I thought this day would never end. Arching over fists tucked into the small of my back, I smile in relief at the pops and snaps and shrug the last particles of tension off.

I glance around the room letting my eyes rest on the few precious belongings I possess. A framed snapshot of my family taken before the revolution is lovingly displayed on the second hand coffee table. Life had been so simple then. We were still innocent, naive and undefiled. We are sitting around the dinner table laughing at a funny story being told by my uncle. Mom, Dad, Cole, Tucker and I all in various stages of laughter. To this day I can't remember the story, I just recall it was funny. This picture helped me survive the pitch-black weeks and months of my life that ensued in the aftermath of the insurrection. Even now it brings a smile to my heart.

The small round table in the corner of the room was my grandmother's and the trinket box that rests on it was my father's. I 'll never forget my delight at discovering these treasures long buried underneath the ash and rubble remnants of my childhood home. Echo, one of the volunteers at the shelter, patiently taught me how to properly clean and restore each piece.

Everything else was gifted from various friends or purchased after much scrimping and saving. Many are mis-matched pieces of furniture that had been well-loved and cared for long before I had need of them - the small couch in the living room, the tiny dining room table that was barely big enough for the 2 chairs that flanked it, and my bed. It was all I had, but it was mine.

I walk down the hallway to my bedroom, shrug my jacket off, and toss it onto my bed. I discard the few pieces of jewelry I wear onto my vanity table and kick my shoes off into the pitiful excuse for a closet. I fall back onto my bed and lay there, eyes closed and review the successes and failures of my day.

All in all, it was a good day. I survived the stigma of being the "new girl" and hopefully managed to appear somewhat educated and resourceful. BeeTee impressed me and I think he will be able to challenge me while allowing me to get the hang of things around the CAACD. I like Shasta and Cimarron. They seem easy to get along with and I look forward to getting to know them better. Gale is another matter altogether. I don't really know how I feel about Gale.

He seemed to listen to every word I spoke, at times focusing so intently on what I was saying that it took him several awkward moments to realize I asked a question. He was extremely polite and professional, not at all condescending, jotting down notes at a couple of my suggestions, but somehow I was left with the impression that there was somewhere else he needed to be.

He maintained more than a professional distance between us, causing me to double check that I had indeed applied deodorant today. He seemed to be in a perpetual state of conflict, one moment taking time to explain the smallest detail and the next moment becoming agitated as though he couldn't wait to get the tour over with. There is more, something underlying, but I can't make any sense out of it. The pieces don't fit and I don't know if I should take it personally or just shrug it off. There seems to be an invisible barrier between the two of us. I don't know how it got there, or what to do about it - it's just there. I'll deal with that tomorrow. Maybe.

Maybe not.

I know this is the right move for me. I need to feel like I belong here and look forward to a new future. I'm scared, not sure if I can remove the shell I've built around myself, but I know it's time to let it go. After changing into shorts and a tank, I go through the few remaining boxes and place their contents in their new home. I break down the boxes and walk downstairs to toss them in the recycling bin. Checking the time, I realize I have just enough time to shower before dinner.

I vow to make some new friends soon. I tell myself it'll be nice to have a name and a face to call for no reason at all, to run to the market, borrow a cup of sugar from, or invite over for dinner. I've barely met my neighbors and I intend to bake something for each of them and deliver it to them personally. Soon. It's important that they know I'm here and that I want to be more than the stranger next door. I've been alone for so long, I hope I can find it within myself to open up and let them in.


	14. Annie & Haymitch

**Annie POV**:

I cannot shake this horrible feeling in my stomach. The knotting, twisting, rumbling, here all day, has made me sick twice. I have not been able to eat. The cereal with milk did not count beings I lost it. Was the milk bad? I hide my queasiness as best I can, but it seems I am not alone in my predicament. Another girl at the shop has to go home today because she is sick. She almost didn't make it to the restroom in time to get rid of her breakfast.

My stomach is making the most horrible noises. I swear it sounds like fireworks going off in my belly. I am hungry but the thought of food makes me want to say hello to the toilet. Even crackers have no appeal. The only thing that doesn't make me sick, are ice chips, which at least help to relieve my mouth from desiccating into salt cod.

I have no energy at all today. I feel as if the air is too heavy for my limbs to lift. My hands, feet and back are clammy to the touch. I smell gross and my mouth has a nasty taste I can't get rid of for some reason. All I want to do is lie down and take a nap.

My head is killing me, and I feel chilled one minute hot the next as if I am running a fever. I have to find something to take the edge off so I can make it through the day, and tell the invisible little bastards jumping on my skull gouging with jack knives and hammers to go find someone else to torture.

I don't want Finn to worry. He frets over me like a mother hen when I'm feeling great already, so I know I cannot whine to him. I will just have to put on my big girl panties and not show any weakness while around him. I am a tough cookie, I can do this! *Burp* Ok, so this may be a little harder than I thought, but I am up to the challenge.

What is going on around here? No one is ever sick, much less me. I refuse to be ill. I am no child, and will not act like a puny kid either. This isn't something to worry about, right? It's just a virus or something? I remember watching Mom tend to my little sister when she had a virus. It wasn't pretty at all. Has anyone ever caught a virus in District 14?

**Haymitch POV**:

I finally met up with Beetee and can tell that Finn has already come and gone, with the smell that is in this room. God, how could someone be around that stench all day? That shit stinks! He must have found something that smelled worse than butt fried over, because I am vomiting in my mouth over here. Apparently he found something out of sorts when he was out playing around out on the water. It isn't as if what he does could be called work, but it keeps him out of everyone's way for most of the day. Pretending that his little endeavors splashing around equal a job, is really a conspiracy we all agree upon simply for our own sanity.

"BeeTee, give it to me straight up. What the hell is going on around here?"

"I haven't pin pointed anything yet Haymitch, which is frustrating the dickens out of me. I can't seem to make heads or tails of these readings. They are all over the place, and it is not a virus, or any disease I know of from what I've gathered so far."

"BeeTee, what the hell is that up your arms? It looks like the inside of a dead cow and smells worse than one! And for God sake man, quit touching your damn glasses, you are getting guts all over them!

As BeeTee looks down, he shrugs and gives me a little smirk. "It is all part of it Haymitch, I have to do what I have to do for the sake of man, right? We have to get this figured out."

"Then what the hell is it? I have seen people puking their guts out on the side of the street and stumbling around like the walking dead. It's not something I have seen before, not here." The stench is so bad I have to hold my breath to make my stomach understand it will not loose this tug of war battle. I will not puke. I will not puke. Seriously how is he not gagging?

"Yes, I've heard some reports of people getting ill. Peeta called me earlier and is sending some blood vials from various patients over here for me to examine. They all seem to have similar symptoms. Something serious is definitely going around and if my suspicious are correct, it is airborne."

"Well, Fuck! That's just Absoufuckulutely bumfucking wonderful Beetee. We are the air! THIS DISTRICT IS THE AIR! Everyone will be sick within days if we don't stop whatever this is going on. What happens if we spread it through all districts? Did it start here, or somewhere else? Shouldn't we be thinking about quarantine?"

"Finnick's samples show the fish have been depleted of oxygen, causing them to die rapidly. They show high levels of Iodine, Cesium and Uranium in them which is also odd. Iodine is to be expected, but not like the levels I am seeing in these fish. I am missing something vital, a common denominator, and can't put my finger on it. Any ideas?"

"If the fish are bad, and people are eating the fish, then we have to stop that immediately. Could the fish be making people sick? Thank God I don't like eating that shit unless I have to." I made it through the games for a reason, I am a smart mother fucker!

"Yes, we definitely need to look into that a little more, but I will make sure all fish consumption is stopped until further notice just in case. People should probably stay out of the water too."

"Here are my samples from this morning, what do want me to do with them?" I hand him my carefully detailed and obviously more important bark samples. They will certainly provide more information than those putrid fish-gut offerings of Finnicks. BeeTee grabs them and violates them with smears from that nasty ass fish laced grossness.

"I have to make sure to take care of Finnick's samples first since his are perishable. As soon as I'm done with that, I'll inspect your bark and leaves."

"BeeTee, they are dead fish, how much more perishable can they get? How can you stand to deal with those nasty things? They stink worse than my feet after a good butt whooping on a hot day!

"Haymitch, I could get a lot more done if you weren't in here bugging the crap out of me!"

"Well…. Guess that is my clue to leave you the hell alone then! Just let me know something soon, will you?" _Mr. PissyAss_. Geez what has him all asstarded?

"Don't I always?"

I glare at him, grinding my teeth together to keep from going off on him. The self-control I have to keep around the extremely troubled little peons, is more than they sometimes deserve. I leave BeeTee to his wallowing in the fish-gut rancid glop. Air is my priority, not explaining the obvious.


	15. Finnick

Finnick's POV:

A soft, warm breeze blows across my exposed skin effectively bringing me back to the task at hand. How long have I been sitting here staring at the deck? My last conscious act was cleaning the excess wax off of the trap Beetee asked me inspect. Spacing out in my head seems to be the only relief I can find from the internal turmoil that has possessed me all morning.

I feel like a coil that has been wound up so tense I will skyrocket into the heavens at the slightest trigger. The only way I will make it through today without ripping someone's head off will be to stay busy and alone.

I pick over every square inch of this damn trap and the only things I can find wrong with it is too much wax and the anchor on the clasp is loose, which can cause it to slip and release. I finish removing the wax, tighten the anchor and test the trap to make sure it holds. For the first time today I feel a small smile flit across my face. I grunt in satisfaction as the anchor holds and I have to manually release the trap. Really it was too easy. I suspect Beetee knew what was wrong all along and gave it to me to keep me busy while he works on my samples.

I call to tell him what I found hoping he'll have some news for me. My call goes directly to his message box.

"Hey. This is Finn. Just wanted to let you know I fixed the trap. It was no big deal, just a little too much wax and a loose anchor. I'll drop it off tomorrow unless you call me sooner. Let me know as soon as you find anything out."

I disconnect the call and clean up the mess I made. I need to scrub the deck down anyway so I grab the hose, a brush and some soap guaranteed to make it shine. Fortunately it takes me a couple of hours, sheer determination, and elbow grease to get it done right.

This work is purely physical leaving my mind free to review the last day or two. I can't get the fish off of my mind. How can an entire school of fish be wiped out in an instant while other marine life nearby seem unaffected? I don't believe it's something in the air or water otherwise it would impact more than one school of fish or one small group of plants.

I can't think of any link between the fish, the plants and the recent bouts of sickness that seem to be afflicting our people. There are no common denominators that come to mind. Everything is so random. I curse my inability to protect the land and sea that I love, that I would give my own life for. I stagger underneath the weight of my frustration as I try to reign in the overwhelming fear and anger that threaten to erupt from within.

I hastily put away the cleaning supplies and decide to take a swim and attempt to relax. I dive off the side of the boat into the crystal clear waters below. The water is cool and relieves some of the ache in my shoulders. I can't detect any temperature abnormalities in the air or water that I noticed yesterday. I come up for air and float on my back, allowing the coolness to soak deep into the muscles in my neck, arms and back.

Paddling my feet slowly, relaxed in buoyancy, I take in the immense sky above. The powdery blue sky filled with huge white clouds reminds me of the creamy topping mom used to pile on top of my pie at dinner. I watch the pelicans in their "V" formation as they soar across my view.

I am so relaxed and calm right now I chide myself for not swimming earlier. The lapping of the waves against my body allows my thoughts to recede and renders my mind void. I drift for several minutes in a near catatonic state before my mind registers something reflected in my peripheral vision.

What was that? I glance around and try to focus on whatever it was that caught my attention. After a few minutes of searching and not finding anything out of the ordinary I assume it was the sun in my eyes. I decide to dive down and view the underwater plants and creatures I love so much.

I never know what I might encounter when I dive. I've seen everything from dolphins and otters to manatees and giant sea turtles. I've even seen the occasional narwhale. Today is no exception.

The water is so clear I can see all the way down to the white sand bottom. It is teeming with breathtaking coral and exotic schools of fish.

Kelp forests and other plant life are infested with Blue Sharks, Sting Rays, and much more. From the hunters to the prey, beauty abounds everywhere you look. If I had gills instead of lungs, I'd live in this underwater palace.

I kick back to the surface and inhale fresh air. I shake the water from my hair, run my hands over my eyes and look towards my boat. I should probably go back aboard, but I don't want to. I know I'll just pace around until my frustration builds back to unbearable proportions.

Again I notice a glimmer just outside my direct line of vision. I look up, studying the vast expanse above me. I stare up until I feel my eyes begin to dry out, afraid to blink lest I lose the chance to discover the source of the flash. What is it that keeps catching my attention yet remains elusive? Wait. There – just beyond the tallest cloud in the sky – I see it, but I don't know what it is I'm looking at.

It reminds me of something Beetee found at the last Quarter Quell. He showed us tears in the shield that surrounded the sky. It was one of these tears that allowed us to blow apart the force field that kept us in the Capitol's man-made environment, allowing District 13 to help some of us escape. It was the beginning of the end for the Capitol.

What I'm looking at doesn't look exactly like a tear, more like a puncture, a tiny hole. I wouldn't even notice it except that a direct ray of sunlight has penetrated it causing it to twinkle and glitter, like a star.

How is this possible? What could cause this? If it is truly a puncture, District 14 may be in jeopardy. Hell, our whole world as we know it could be in jeopardy. If this means what I think it does, we have all been compromised. I need to call Beetee immediately. He needs to know. Everyone needs to know.

Climbing back on board, I call Beetee, and tell him what I've discovered as swiftly as I can pour out the information. He agrees with me about the urgency. He can't get away from the lab, but is sending a team down to meet me. They'll be able to verify what I saw. If what I think is true, it will instantly become a matter of National Security.

We decide on a location to pick up the team. I pull up anchor and let PIIA chart my course. The engines scream a steady howl as I push them hard. The turbulence of the wake mimics the rush of my adrenaline saturated blood as it frantically propels me toward answers just beyond my reach. I battle the aggressive onslaught of hysteria, the only lucid thoughts in my mind being the magnitude of this devastating discovery and the knowledge that every second may count.


	16. Ember and Gale

Gale's POV:

This week has been worse than a ride on an elevator in a mine shaft, each high and low bringing me closer to the brink of insanity. I doubt being injected with tracker-jacker venom could affect my neurotic thoughts and emotions more than the last several days have.

My pull to Ember is no less than the first day I laid eyes on her. I had hoped there would be relief in the constant exposure, but there is none unless you consider that I'm becoming accustomed to my addiction. I am painfully aware of the intense withdrawal and distraction each evening alone brings.

Said distraction is the excuse I give myself for prompting an offer to escort her around town today. How else will I survive the weekend?

I wake up an hour before my alarm is set to go off, instantly alert, barely able to contain the enthusiasm that has smoldered within me, threatening to erupt, since the moment she accepted my suggestion. I take a quick shower, get dressed and grab some fruit from the main kitchen before heading out. I opt to walk instead of taking the shuttle since she lives nearby.

It's amazing how many people actually choose to be up and out this early on a Saturday. Rarely do I leave the comforts of bed before the crack of noon on days my presence is not required elsewhere. I am surprised at how pleasant it is outside, the air brisk and fresh, but I know it will be warmer later this morning. PIIA has today's forecast and I can't ask for better weather – lots of sunshine, a cloudless sky, and a light breeze.

The day would be perfect if not for the troubles Beetee informed me about at work. His details about Finn's dead fish and Haymitch's trees are enough to be concerned about in and of themselves. Add that to my phone call last night from Katniss telling me about the rapidly increasing number of ill patients her mother is treating at the hospital and dread threatens to overshadow my euphoria. I can't make heads or tails out of the facts, but I don't have to. That's Beetee's problem. If I know him, he's in his lab right this moment trying to fit the puzzle pieces together. Hell, he probably stayed there all night.

Shoving my concerns to the back of my mind, I am determined to make the best of today. I finally have a chance to show Ember who I am, the real Gale. I'm nervous and relieved at the same time. I vow to relax and set aside the self-imposed restrictions I've erected all week. It doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure out that this may be the only chance I get to make a good impression and convince her to give me, us, a chance- if she wants it.

Arriving at her door, I knock and wait, shove my hands into my pockets and try to remember to breathe. She opens the door and I feel the flames of my high begin to flicker underneath my skin. My heart is pounding so hard I fear she can hear it. In this moment I realize she is not merely my drug of choice, she may be the drug that provides the cure for my lonely heart, my empty life.

"Hi." She smiles and my heart skips a beat. "Come in. I just need to slip on some shoes and grab a jacket, and then I'll be ready to go."

"Sure. Not a problem." I answer, smiling back at her. I follow her to the living room.

"Make yourself comfortable. I'll be right back." She gestures me towards the sofa while proceeding down the hallway.

Rays of sunlight flood the room. Her flat looks smaller than mine, but that could be because she has real furniture, not the fold away chairs and end tables made of crates that are scattered throughout mine. I take a deep breath, sit down on the sofa and try to relax.

Ember walks back into the room with a sweater draped over her arm, bends down to pull the straps of her shoe over her heel, and looks up at me.

"I'm ready. We can go now." She straightens up, running her fingers through her hair, which hangs down her back in soft curls.

I don't think I'll survive today if I can't touch her. She's the most beautiful woman I've ever laid eyes on. She's breathtaking and the reaction my body has towards her is intense. Taking a deep breath, trying to maintain the thin thread of control I possess, I stand and smile at her.

"You look beautiful." It slips out before my mind recognizes the command to close my mouth. "I mean, I've never seen you with your hair down and I like it. It's pretty." Shit! I'm reverting back to day one.

Ember doesn't seem to pick up on my nervousness and smiles at me. "Thank you."

I open the door and allow her to walk out ahead of me. She locks the door, tossing her bag over her shoulder as we walk to the shuttle.

"I hope I don't sound ridiculous but I'm so excited about today. I haven't had a chance to do any real shopping since I moved here. Thank you for offering to take me. I know most men detest shopping in general."

"I wouldn't have offered if I didn't want to go." If she only knew how afraid I'd been that she wouldn't be interested. "I actually don't get to the Market very often and it is a very unique experience. I hope you like it."

Watching her face light up in anticipation of something as simple as a day at the Market made my heart feel knotted, an ache that was almost painful. I know practically nothing about her, but even I can tell her life has not been fulfilling if something this basic brings such joy. I determine to make it my business to fill this day with lots of fun and happiness for her.

"I'm sure I will. We had a farmers market in District 5, but it was small, just the basics. Tell me what this one's like."

The shuttle pulls up, opening its doors as we climb aboard. It starts with a jerk causing her to fall back against me and I grab her waist to keep us from falling. A flash of white heat sears me where her body contacts mine inundating me with scorching rivers of fire. I force myself to release her as soon as we are balanced. I feel like I've been branded. I am rigid with desire and want nothing more than to press up against her again. I take several deep breaths in an attempt to calm myself.

It doesn't go unnoticed that she seems just as shell-shocked as I am. She nervously runs her fingers through her hair and the soft scent of vanilla invades my senses. It takes every ounce of self-control I have to keep from burying my face in her hair.

We take seats next to each other near the front so that I can point out the different sites as we pass by. I hope she doesn't notice my discomfort from the lust fueled swelling in my jeans. I begin to describe the Market in minute detail, trying to appear polite while I fight the impulse to touch myself for relief.

"The Market is like nothing else I've ever seen. There's abundant produce and meat, fresh breads, all reasonably priced. There are textiles, candies and delicacies from every district. Pleasures and all kinds of entertainment abound for all five senses. If you can think it up, you can probably find it at the Market."

"It sounds absolutely amazing." Her eyes sparkle with enthusiasm when she speaks. "I'm glad I wore comfortable shoes. It sounds as though we'll be doing a lot of walking."

"We will, for sure." I can't help the grin spreading across my face. Her zeal is contagious. All of my nervousness from earlier is gone and I am beginning to relax. I am optimistically looking forward to the rest of the day.

We arrive at the Market and join the throng of people flooding through the gates. It's still early and some vendors are just opening up their booths. For several minutes we are both overwhelmed by the variety of worldly goods laid out before us. We stroll from booth to booth, delighting over each new discovery. I take her hand in mine to keep us from becoming separated by the masses. At least that's what I'm telling myself.

We each make a few small purchases before realizing we are famished.

"I'm hungry, are you?" She asked.

"Hell, yeah! I can always eat." I laughed. "What are you hungry for?"

"I'm feeling rather adventurous today, so I'd like to try something new, something I've never had before. Since you know your way around better than I do, you pick."

"Okay. I know just the place."

Pushing my way through the crush of bodies, I make sure to keep her hand firmly secured within my own. We pass the building filled with exotic animals, past the ticket booths and the merchants attempting to entice us to purchase their goods or to ride their rides. It is quite comical how each one thinks theirs is the biggest, the best, the most unique or original.

I slow down when we get to the tables surrounded by portable buildings advertising every imaginable culinary delight in the known world. Chef's bustle behind barbeque pits, vats filled with hot oils and magnificent stoves, their aprons splattered with the residue of their trade.

I stop in front of the building that contains the most delectable item my taste buds have ever encountered. It's called a corn dog. I never heard of it before moving to District 14, but apparently it's been around since the beginning of time. A flavorful sausage dipped in a cake like batter and fried to a crisp, golden brown. I discovered it's even better dipped in any variety of sauces – ketchup, barbeque sauce, mustard, honey…. The memory makes my stomach growl and my mouth salivate in anticipation.

Ember closes her eyes and inhales. She looks at me, smiling and nodding her approval at my choice. Hell, I want to kiss her so bad. Instead, I squeeze her hand and pull her with me towards the window and order 2 corn dogs with fries and sodas.

We find an empty table nearby and sit across from each other while we wait for our food.

"So, how are you enjoying the Market?" I ask her.

"I love it. I can see myself spending many Saturday's here. There's no way to see everything in one day."

"Hopefully you'll invite me along for some of those Saturdays!" I shamelessly reply.

"Of course! How could I not invite the man who so selflessly dedicated an entire Saturday to show me around?" She was smiling at me, teasing me, and the urge to reach across the table and kiss the smile off of her face almost wins before reason kicks back in.

A young boy brings the food to our table and we begin to eat. I admit that this is the most pleasurable meal I've ever partaken of. Between bites of utter deliciousness, I am witness to the borderline erotic expressions and sounds coming from Ember. Eyes closed, chewing and moaning in utter satisfaction, a drop of honey in the corner of her mouth. I want to lick her mouth. Hello, hard on! She opens her eyes and catches me staring at her mouth just as her tongue sneaks out and nabs the errant honey. Fuck. Me. Now. I have to have this woman. Please God, tell me I get to taste this woman. If not today, then soon. Please. Tell me I have been good enough to deserve this. Or bad enough. I don't care, just give her to me. Shit, this woman is breaking me down. I never dreamed something as innocent as food can elicit such carnality in me, but the visions in my mind at this precise moment are anything other than innocent.

I am saved by PIIA as both of us receive a message at the same time. It's from Beetee and he is calling an emergency meeting immediately. He is giving everyone an hour to meet in his lab. It is urgent and no one has been excluded from this meeting.

We briefly glance at each other before gathering up our purchases and tossing the rest of our lunch in the trash. I grab her hand and we walk as fast as we can without running to get back to the gates and the shuttle.


	17. The Meeting

Ember's POV:

As soon as the shuttle stops, we breathlessly hurtle through the front doors and down the hallway to the lab. It is bursting at the seams with nervous energy as if it has been enveloped in the midst of a lightning storm. Everyone is running around in circles, but closer observation reveals coordinated chaos. Researchers frantically voice commands while holographs emit images and information at cyber speed. Geneticists hunch over microscopes feverishly logging their findings and comparing notes. Runners rush samples and supplies back and forth as needed.

It appears that Gale and I are the last ones to arrive. Beetee gestures us toward his desk. His expression casts a sober tone across the room, his countenance reminiscent of my dark days in District 5. I find no glimmer of hope in his eyes and am overcome with a premonition of impending disaster.

I can't stop the icy shivers that careen through my spine covering my skin in a layer of goose bumps or the sudden trepidation that settles heavy in my belly. I am frozen in place by indecision, afraid to hear what he has to say and desperate to know if he has solved the mystery that plagues District 14.

Gale's hand at the small of my back forces me to refocus as he gently nudges me forward and I will myself to walk normally while every nerve in my body screams to turn and run away.

"C'mon. Let's get this over with." Gale mutters.

Gale's POV:

As I guide Ember to the back of the room I glance down and catch the flicker of panic in her eyes before she is able to conceal it beneath a facade of cool composure. I try to imagine what nightmare her mind has dredged up. Our amicable camaraderie from this morning is temporarily forgotten in the madness we find ourselves surrounded in. My instinct is to shield her from the insanity that has assaulted this room, to take her somewhere safe, somewhere far away from here. Before I embarrass myself, reason rears its tiny head and I push the notion to the back of my mind and throw on a coat of polite professionalism.

Looking around the room, I notice several familiar faces. Haymitch, Finnick, Johanna, Peeta, Katniss, Shasta, Plutarch, Dr. Everdeen and Paylor are crammed into Beetee's office. Holy fucking shit. This must be big if Paylor came in the flesh. Ember and I find seats as Beetee begins to speak.

"First let me begin by saying thank you, everyone, for coming at such short notice. I know how precious our weekends are, but I wouldn't have called this meeting if it weren't imperative. Thank you, too, for your patience while my staff and I researched the many samples that have been submitted.

"As you have all been apprised, last week Finnick found a school of dead fish and some odd spots on a few plants in Eden. Haymitch discovered burned bark and dead leaves on several trees in his grove near the same time. There are many more samples that have been gathered from all over the district. Add to that the increasing number of mysteriously ill patients in Dr. Everdeen's care and you can see the magnitude of this crisis."

He sighs and looks at each of us in turn as he continues. "The first order of business was to determine if there was a connection between the discoveries. We have reason to believe that they do, in fact, have a common denominator. The next step was to determine what that common denominator was. I believe that we have uncovered this information, too."

A murmur flows through us as we collectively allow this information to penetrate our finite minds. Haymitch, in all of his famed tact, is the first to speak aloud.

Haymitch's POV:

"Well don't sit there and let us all shit ourselves thinking that the end of the world is near, what the hell is the problem Beetee?"

No answer.

"Seriously, I am about to vomit a rainbow over here and by the look on everyone else's face, we will have stroke victims popping out all over the place if we don't get some answers, NOW!"

Beetee shifts in his chair, stands up, and then sits down again, making me dizzy as hell. When he speaks, he says it so quietly that a mouse fart would have been louder.

"It all points to radiation."

"Um, what? Come again? Did I just hear you say RADIFUCKINGATION?"

"Haymitch, we will figure this out. Unfortunately, time is not on our side. With people all across the district starting to show signs of radiation poisoning, I believe the exposure levels are getting higher."

The roar in the room becomes almost unbearable. I can't hear myself think, which is not saying much to begin with, but still. These damn people are so loud and they all sound as capable of rational though as howling mutt-monkeys with raging sphincter worms. Talk about a bleeding ass, I think I am about to get one.

Finnick pipes in and says "Ok, so the next question is – Where the hell is the radiation coming from and how the fuck can we stop it?"

Finnick's POV:

Beetee looks at me as though I am a turd he just discovered smeared across the bottom of his shoe. He continues on in his calm tone of voice.

"At first we considered that the radiation may have been carried in from other districts. Even though we are excessively cautious to prevent contamination we do not guarantee 100% contaminate free imports. Another hypothesis is that somehow our ports have amassed excessive levels of radiation which have been transported across the district. However, after further consideration, we realize that "second hand" radiation would be reduced to harmless levels before ever leaving port. The damage is district wide and is caused by extremely high, concentrated doses."

It's all I can do to keep from screaming at him, so I take several deep breaths and ask, "Where the hell is it coming from, then?"

"That, Finnick, is a very interesting question. One I asked myself several times. I am happy to say that I have the answer to that, too, although it's discovery was quite an accident, one that you discovered, actually! The only way to get in or out of District 14 other than through a port is to puncture the shield. Does that trigger any memories?"

I feel like I have been pushed off the side of a cliff and wonder how long it will take to hit bottom. Pimples on a pocket rocket! No way! It's not fucking possible! Out loud, I asked "How is that possible? This has something to do with the glimmers I saw in the sky, right?"

"As a matter of fact, it does. We created the shield over District 14 to work like a greenhouse. It's transparent to allow an unimpaired view of the sky and natural light to penetrate, which enables our efforts to mass produce oxygen. When you look into the heavens you see real sky, clouds and light, not manmade. The shield should not be detected by the human eye. The glimmers Finnick found are little rays of sunshine peeping through miniscule holes within the shield.

"These holes have allowed concentrated levels of radiation to directly penetrate small areas resulting in the damages we have discovered. This accounts for the dead school of fish, the burnt trees and the patients in the hospital."

"How the hell did the holes get in the shield?" I asked.

"After utilizing our satellites to inspect the shield, we found similar holes all across the district. Normally a tear occurs in a corner, or in a weak spot, but these holes are not cyber accidents or oversights. These holes were not there 2 weeks ago and we are finding new holes every day.

"That leads us to my conclusion. Many years ago, back when the Hunger Games were thriving, the Capitol hired the best and brightest scientists to create all manner of tortures, including the famed Mockingjays and Tracker Jackers. What you may not know is that they had a large reserve of these hybrids for future games.

"I have been under the impression that these hybrids were destroyed, but it is evident that at least one has been allowed to survive and has been unleashed on District 14's shield. The scientific name for this beast is Locustana Supella, otherwise known as Lo-Hoppers." Beetee sat back and waited for this information to penetrate the room.

Paylor pursed her lips and glared at BeeTee. Gritting her teeth, she said, "Don't make me drag this out of you. I can, as you know, and I will if I have to. I didn't come all the way from the Capitol to beat around the bush or play games. Exactly what kind of monster are we facing? Give it to us straight, Beetee. Now."

"Lo-Hoppers are a hybrid between a locust and the tiniest species of cockroach. It is miniscule in size and will eat anything it's programmed to. It can destroy vast areas in short periods of time. Hence my warning that time is of the essence. We will have to find these monsters and destroy them before they decimate our shield, effectively contaminating our entire air supply. I don't know how much time we have, but based on our observation of the progression of damage so far, I suspect we have 2 weeks max before our shield is too compromised to repair.

"That is why I have called you all in. I need the best of the best to put their heads together and expedite a solution, implementing a plan to exterminate this mutation. At this time, we don't know who brought it, how it got here, or what it's been programmed to accomplish. We can't rule anyone or anything out. For now, everyone is suspect. Unfortunately, I suspect that someone in District 14 is behind this. Those of you in this office are the only ones I trust. Be quick and be careful. Utmost secrecy and security is required here. That's all I have to say. I open the floor to your suggestions and ideas."


End file.
